


The Clockwork Apprentice

by Triptychful



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:53:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 38,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24159958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Triptychful/pseuds/Triptychful
Summary: Aegis, a young boy afflicted with a fatal wasting disease opts in to an experimental new treatment - his consciousness downloaded to a virtual world. However when he wakes up as a mechanical golem in a dead wizard's castle, he must track down the killer and learn magic to survive.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	1. Part 1

"You are dying. And there's nothing we can do about it." The doctor pronounced my death sentence that day in the cold, antiseptic room of the Garendan General Hospital. My parents had already known for days, and had been giving me looks of sadness and pity all week. 

I had known something serious was up when I had injured myself in soccer practice, and they had done a routine blood test to make sure I had not gotten any infections. Instead, my white blood cell count was through the roof, and several weeks later and seemingly pints of blood given, I had been led, anxious and a cold sweat trickling down my back, into a hospital room with overly bright lights and a distracted doctor who spent ten minutes in silence, reading over his clipboard, over and over in a nervous attempt to drum up enough guts to tell me the inevitable truth. 

I was dying. 

His words fell like icicles down my spine. I felt like the floor was falling away into an abyss.

"I'm sorry son. I know there are doctors that try to sugar coat things. Tell their patients with this disease that they can still live full and happy lives. But" he pushed up his large coke bottle glasses back up to his discolored nose " I'm not one of them. You have a grave illness. It is hereditary. It's called Clarke's Syndrome. Your body is basically building antibodies for itself. Your immune system is killing you. "

Tears were filling my eyes. My parents came into the room. I looked at them with abject fear. They were crying as well.

"Is there - is there absolutely nothing you can do? There's no hope?" I was grasping at any straw. Anything this heartless doctor could say. Why didn't I get one of those compassionate doctors who would lie to you - build up a false hope for a cure? Anything!

He looked at me with those over large glasses. His eyes looked like something from a twisted comic book. Oversized and heavy lidded. 

"As I've said to your parents. There is research going on to find a cure for your illness. But the going is slow - as I've read the findings. Clarke's Syndrome is exceedingly rare, and there is not much attention from the pharmaceutical companies for rare illnesses like yours. I'm sorry. The best I can do is enter your name in a database for people with your illness. If something comes up, I can reach out to you."

Don't call us, we'll call you. He was already closing the door to my crypt. I felt like puking, right there in his hospital room. Do something... anything!

"Aegis, we will find out more about this illness. We will do everything we can." That was my dad. Always with him there was an answer. Solutions for him were easy to come by, as he always had the money to find the best experts. Well, dad. Here's a challenge even you might find too onerous to solve.

"We love you, Aegis." My mom said, sobbing. The way she said it, it sounded like I was already dead. I stared at the floor, dumbly.

"How much longer do I have to live, doctor?"

"Your illness is progressing more slowly than most cases. That is why you've been able to live a more or less normal life till 17. It's hard to say. However, no one with your illness has lived beyond 20. There is something about when your body goes through the teenage years that accelerates the body's immune system malfunction. You have at most 3 years. Maybe less." With that, the doctor nodded to my mom and dad, and walked out of the room.

My dad came around slowly and placed his hand on my shoulder. 

"We'll find a cure, son. I've already made a number of calls. Don't you worry. "

He didn't sound like someone with hope. He sounded like someone with a dying son, who somehow, madly, had failed him. Somehow this was MY fault? Oh no dad. This was YOUR genetics. You, and mom's.

\----

The days and weeks passed. Somehow, everyone in my school had learned about my Illness. There was even a story about me in the news one night. "Billionaire corporate CEO's son has rare genetic illness. Money is no object in finding a cure"

A great depression came over me. Obviously! Food lost it's flavor. Friends began to find other places to be. My girlfriend Mina - at first defiant and steadfast in her faith that I would be cured - suddenly didn't answer my calls and texts. And during school, she would always avoid me. 

I was becoming invisible. A ghost before my time. 

After a month, I dropped out of school. What was the point? I was no longer allowed to play soccer, one of the few highlights of my teenage years. The thrill of the competition - pushing yourself to the limit while seeing your team work together to defeat the opposing team. Fighting against impossible odds to pull out a victory at the last moment. That was being truly alive. 

My coach had pulled me into his mostly unused office, three days after I was back at school and gave me the news. "The doctors say exertion might accelerate your illness. You've been banned from any school related sports. I'm very sorry son. You're a great player. I'm going to hate to see you go."

Of course he was. I was the star player. All coach wanted was a winning team. And I was no longer an asset, but a liability.

As the months passed, my father would enlist more and more doctors to poke and prod me. Each time they would meet me with grand promises of a cure, and that I'd be "right as rain" in no time. 

Each one would fail. No blood test. No therapy. No miracle drug would even make the tiniest of difference. They would not even say goodbye. One day a new doctor would arrive to my father's house, and we would "not speak" of the previous failures.

My mother and father grew more angry at one another. They would fight long into the night. Sometimes it was about me. Other times about all the money my father was spending on quacks and fake gurus. Apparently, there were some things money couldn't fix.

I began to lose interest in going outside any longer. I lost myself in video games. At least there I could be alive. I could be powerful. And nobody would take pity on me. 

One day I got a bruise on my arm. I didn't remember hitting it on anything. It didn't go away after a few days.

A trip to the doctor was the immediate consequence.

"I'm sorry son. " This new doctor was a kindly old man with a long white beard. He looked vaguely like a wizard out of one of my video games. I immediately hated him.

"This looks like you've reached a new stage in your illness. Your body is attacking itself more and more. You're going to have to stay here, in the hospital, so we can monitor you."

I didn't even shed a tear. My soul had been crushed so many times now, the pieces were still lying in a dark corner under my bed. There was nothing this man could tell me that would make me "feel" anything. 

I checked in the next day. At least the place was not all bright white lights and bleach smelling floors. My father had splurged on a nice hospital room with warm colors, a carpeted floor, and a special chef that would fix me anything I liked. Every day I would ask for some impossible dish, like spaghetti jello, or chocolate flavored pizza. Every day I would somehow get my wish. 

I knew, the end was coming soon. I was tired all the time. I could see odd sparkles in my eyes when I looked a blank wall. I read. Ate. Played games. I was already dead inside. 

\----

Then one day Doctor Whismer knocked on my hospital room door.

"Hello, are you Aegis Goleman?" He was a tall man with a black goatee and an impeccably clean hospital uniform.

"Yes." I said, not even looking up from my game. I was approaching level 100, and I wanted to see if I would be able to finally claim a castle for my own, in Dungeons and Dwellings.

"My name is Doctor Whismer. I found your name on the Clarke's Syndrome database. I've spoken with your parents briefly, and I wanted to meet you in person. You see, I think we have a way to help you..."

I blinked. 

My character died.

I looked up from the game. "How could you possibly help me? I'm already dead."

Doctor Whismer smiled. He had great teeth. He looked like a mad professor, about to send his students on a crazy adventure across the ocean. 

"We are conducting a new experiment with people such as yourself. Ones with Clarke's Syndrome. We think we can dramatically extend your lifespan. Are you interested?"

I shrugged. Hope was a paper doll in the middle of a rainstorm. The drops would fall, and the paper would tear. 

"Sure doc. " I said absently. "Sign me up."


	2. Part 2

"This feels weird." I said as the nurse hooked up yet another lead to my body. I was lying on my back in a pool of highly salinated water. I felt like Neo when he had just emerged from the Matrix, only in reverse. They were attaching wires TO me, instead of me breaking free. 

I thought back to the few days before today. 

"This therapy is highly experimental, and there is no guarantee of success" Doctor Whismer had said to my family. My mom and dad had made a special trip to the hospital, just to see me and Doctor Whismer at the same time. I felt special that day, because even my parents had been finding more and more reasons to be unavailable during visiting hours. 

"But..." My father began. 

"But... all our other patients have been showing very promising signs of remission. We've been able to reach an 80% suppression rate for their immune response. " Doctor Whismer gave another one of his disturbingly cheerful smiles. I swear, his teeth were so clean and white, they would distract me when he spoke. I often asked him to repeat what he had just said. I think he believed I was quite dull. 

"Basically, we shut the body down, almost completely. No stimulus. No contact with the outside world. He will be sealed in an enclosed, carefully monitored environment while we turn off his immune system. No outside infectious agents, no chance of harm. But , Aegis, you will not be sedated. Instead we have created a state of the art virtual environment which will be tied directly to your brain. It will be designed to help you adapt mentally to your stasis. "

"But, how will I eat, and ... you know" I looked down towards my legs. 

Doctor Whismer gave me another disarming smile. "Don't you worry young Aegis. We'll take care of everything." He patted my leg reassuringly. 

"Is this - virtual world - " I began. "Is it some commercial game? Might I have played it before?"

Doctor Whismer stroked his goatee as he looked down at his phone. He chuckled lightly. 

"I am sure you've not experienced anything like this, son. We've spent top dollar on the latest technology. "

My dad smiled. He knew what it was like to spend extravagantly to get results. My mother just nodded and pretended that she understood everything.

I knew she understood nothing. She just wanted a way out. A way to be unburdened by her sick child.

"How long will I be ... under?" I asked. Inwardly a small spark of hope had glimmered. To be alive, to not feel like your life was draining away, like grains of precious sand from a broken hourglass.

"Well son, in an odd way not only will your disease slow down, you won't age as fast either. This technology we are building is really being earmarked for eventual space travel. Imagine placing whole families in stasis for decades and waking up only feeling a few hours older!" He waved his hands dramatically like a carnival showman.

My mom and dad were convinced.

And so, there I was, getting hooked up to my POD. There were other PODs in the lab. Other people like me, I guess.

It was eerily reassuring to look over and see men and women in lab coats and clipboards. Touching panels, checking glucose levels. The faces in the pods were obscured by masks. Feeding air, nutrients, and light to bodies curled up in fetal positions. 

I was going to join them in their journey. 

I felt vaguely like one of those astronauts the Doctor kept going on about. I could not have a "real" life any more. I couldn't run on the field, score a goal, hear the crowd cheer as we overcame the visiting team, but I could do this. 

Perhaps I would die. But I was going to die anyway. At least perhaps I might advance their research in some way. And who knows? Maybe someday I might emerge from this POD with a cure.

The water was perfectly balanced to my body temperature. Outside of the odd pulling sensation of the leads all over my body, I felt like I was floating in space, instead of water. 

A face came close to mine - blocking the soft light from above. 

It was a woman. One of the technicians.

"Hello Aegis. My name is Martha. I am your lead technician. I will be here with you for the duration of your stay." 

She smiled.

I liked her. 

"Are you comfortable? Any pain?" she asked lightly.

I already had a mouthpiece over my lips. I shook my head slightly, causing ripples in the thick salt water.

"Very good! The transition is a little ... jarring. So don't be too stressed. Remember, it's just a simulation. You will always be perfectly safe. We'll be monitoring you from those computers outside your POD. I think you're going to like what we've come up with for you. It's a space adventure. You'll be the captain of a star-ship that travels the galaxy and explores endless planets. I've heard it's quite thrilling." Her eyes danced.

I nodded. 

This program was designed for future astronauts, so naturally they had created simulations for space, and focused on exploration. I had chosen the most adventuresome of the selections. But secretly, I had wished for a fantasy setting. I felt more comfortable with a sword in my hand, over a blaster. Heck, it wasn't even a game. There were no scores, no monsters, no levels. Just planetary surveys and atmospheric evaluations. I secretly hoped I didn't die of boredom, instead of this disease. 

Technician Martha tapped a syringe and injected it into one of the bags feeding fluids to my body. "Well Aegis. This is it! Have a great trip!"

Already growing sleepy, I gave her a weak thumbs up.

As my eyes fluttered closed, the world began to drift away. Voices grew more distant. All was peace.

Then. A flash. It was like a thousand car headlights turned on toward me all at once, then blinked off. I jerked involuntarily.

In the distance, I could hear alarms going off. People were shouting. 

But it was far away from me. 

Nothing to worry about. I said to my weary self.

Another flash. This time not just white like, but with colors. Words and sounds. Hot and cold. 

Far, far away, I could hear Martha's voice. 

"Doctor Whismer! Come here immediately. Something is happening! His adrenal response is off the charts! We can't abort! The system is not respon - "

Flash!

Boom!

Explosions filled my ears. 

Lightning, thunder. 

How could that be? 

My eyes clicked open. I could see a sky roiling with grey clouds. Rain was coming down. Hard. 

Rain?

I felt very odd. I could not move. It was like I was encased in concrete. 

Only my eyes could see. 

BOOM! 

Another flash of lighting and thunder. 

In the brief light I caught the outline of ... something.

I heard the sounds of footsteps walking toward me. Squishing in the rain, and somehow rocky, like gravel.

A hooded figure stood over me. I was paralyzed. Fear tore at me from within. 

There was no face in the hood, only two glowing red eyes piercing the darkness. 

"Your father cannot save you now, abomination." The voice was dead - flat and cold. 

I could not move. Not even my eyes. I stared helplessly at the sky as the rain poured down on my face. The water blurred my vision.

The hooded figure moved. I heard the sound of rocks moving around. 

The figure loomed over me. In it's right hand it held ... an arm?

It looked like the arm from a mannequin. It was whole up to the shoulder socket. Small wires and gears protruded from the end of the shoulder. It was sparking slightly.

The figure regarded the arm for a moment. Holding it like a weapon. 

"Blasphemy. Dark magic. ... Abomination!" 

With the last word, the hooded figure swung the dismembered arm down at my face with all it's strength.

BOOM!

Flash!

The world went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

I was floating ... drifting.

Lost.

Thoughts were few and far between.

Like leaves floating on a quiet pond.

Drifting.

Quiet.

"Meow"

Meow? Was that a ... cat?

Ripples in the pond.

"Meow"

Yes. That was definitely a cat.

Where?

I see it now. Standing on the shore of the pond ... of my mind?

It was a black cat, with green eyes. It looked at me.

Who... am I?

'You are Aegis. The shield. The protector.' The cat seemed to say. It wasn't moving its mouth.

I'm Aegis? Oh yeah.

'Aegis. Much will be asked of you. You will be faced with challenges beyond even your own life. When you are lost, look for the sign of the cat. I will always be there. Take care my little shield.'

What? Shield?

The cat began to fade from my mind's eye.

The cat.... Cat .... Cat...

[Cat - cat - catastrophic system failure. Automatic repair systems halted. Damage estimate at 80%. Unable to resume repair routines. Power at 15%]

What?

There was a strange voice in my head. Not ... a cat?

[Catastrophic system failure. Aut aut automatic repair systems halted. Damage estimate at 80%.]

Damage estimate?

My eyes clicked open.

Clicked? Yes, that was definitely a click I heard.

Birds were chirping.

I blinked.

Click.

Yes, that was definitely a click.

My vision cleared a bit. Everything was staticy - like looking through a bad security monitor.

I was lying to one side. My ... face? was lying against the cold, hard stone.

I could hear birds chirping. Was I ... outside?

No, I could see stone walls. But ... with bright sunshine.

So not outside, but not inside either?

Ah... my mind engaged.

Ruins.

I was lying at the opening in a wall. Like there had been a big explosion sometime in the past.

The far past from the looks of it.

There were vines growing along the walls. Rubble was everywhere. A broken chair lie just outside of my range of vision.

[Cat - cat - catastrophic system failure. Automatic repair systems halted. ]

The tinny voice in my head was ... a computer? What system?

[System query. Automatic Electronic Generalized Information System : AEGIS.

System v0.01

Damage report .... All systems at 80% damage. Energy level 14%

Mana compensation at 0%

Automatic repairs halted due to lack of power.]

Mana compensation?

[System Query: Mana. Mana systems operate beyond logic parameters. Otherwise known as Magic.]

...

[Warning! Power at 12% and dropping. Cat cat catastrophic system failure immanent.]

I blinked. I heard something. It wasn't birds.

Footsteps.

The rocky ground was crunching under someone's feet. I remembered the hooded figure. Paralyzed. I could not move. I could not even "feel" anything. I was terrified.

Help! I cried inwardly. 

[Assistance query. Help. Urgently need liquid water to catalyze battery restoration. Solar cells damaged. Seek water source.]

I could hear the footsteps coming closer. I heard humming. Singing. It sounded like a ... girl?

[Seek water. Seek water]

""Wat - water."" Some strange electronic voice spoke just beneath me. Was that - that me?

The humming stopped.

"Who's there? Who said that?" It was the girl's voice. She sounded terrified.

"Look, I'm just here to look for something to scavenge. I don't want any trouble!" she stammered.

""Water. I. I. I need water""

Footsteps running closer, crunching the ground.

A face. In front of me. A beautiful girl, no older than maybe 17, leaned over and stared at me. She looked horrified. Her golden hair glowed in the sunlight. Beautiful ringlets.

I blinked.

cLICk!

"Eeeeeeeeek!" She screamed.

Her face left my field of vision and I could hear the sounds of footsteps racing away.

Great.

Just great.

\----

Hours pass.

I close my eyes.

Guess I need to conserve energy.

I cannot move. I don't even know if there's anything there TO move. I cannot feel anything. Probably a good thing since if I had an itch, I couldn't possibly scratch it.

[Power at 10%. Urgent action needed. Seek water. Seek water]

Yeah, I know. Sorry, voice in my head, but I can't really do that right now.

How did I get here? What is going on? Is this the simulation? This is NOT a space sim.

I thrashed inwardly. What is this voice? It's like some kind of computer system?

I chanced opening my eyes again. One eye was damaged, it seemed. Oh yeah. I was hit by a robot arm.

Something shifted within me.

That was ... my arm!

Oh god. What am I?

[System Query. You are A.E.G.I.S. An autonomous humanoid golem. You were created by Kendranen Mir on Standard Date 1714.28. ]

Well, I didn't really expect an answer. A golem? Why didn't it say robot?

[System query: A robot is a lifeless automaton consisting of pure mechanism. A golem is a creation of magic and science imbued with a life force. Self is a golem.]

Oh. ... Magic? Um...

I struggled to comprehend what was going on with me. I stared at the floor and walls helplessly. My life was slowly draining out of me. I couldn't move. One eye was damaged. I guess somehow I was hallucinating, back in the POD. This was my brain's way of dealing with me dying...

Oh well.

The girl was pretty though. Way to go, imagination.

[System Query: The human girl was not an imaginary construct. Ultrasonic radar confirms the human is approaching, once again.]

What?

I heard footsteps. Growing slowly closer. Two sets this time. One seemed heavier, slower.

"Look, dad!" The girl's voice. "There it is! It - it spoke to me! It's eyes moved!"

"Now, Clarissa. There's been nothing here for fifty years. Looters cleaned out this castle decades ago. How can - " A man's voice.

""Water. I. Need. Need. Need. Water."" I managed. How was I speaking? I sounded like a drunk C-3PO.

"Oh my." The man's voice finished.

Rushed steps.

A kindly looking man with a balding head and wild tufts of white hair on the sides looked into my eyes. My world suddenly shifted dramatically.

Whoosh!

Ouhhhh. If I had a stomach I would have puked. He must have ... picked me up? Oh god.

I could see all around me now.

Before me - holding me upright was the old man. He was squinting in the sunlight. Someone or something had done a number on this room. I could see heavy stone walls. I was near a rather large hole in the wall. Trees were everywhere outside, and a few even inside the walls. Above me the walls went up up up. A castle? I was just outside the ruins of some kind of heavy stone castle. 

The girl, Clarissa? She stood close to her dad. She seemed both curious and fearful.

"What is it? A robot? He looks like he's been chewed on by an ogre." She said derisively.

I could tell she had a curious sense of humor.

She was wearing a pretty dress with red flowers on yellow. It was girly without being too frilly.

[System shutdown in twenty minutes. Battery at 5%. ]

""Please."" I croaked. ""Water.""

The man almost dropped me.

Carefully, he set me down, against a ruined wall.

"Clarissa, get my water pouch off the horse. Go, quickly!"

"But dad! We don't know what this is. What if it's a .. weapon?"

""Not a weapon. Please help"" I said.

"Go!" The dad yelled urgently.

Clarissa ran off in a huff, but came back with a leather pouch that had some kind of lid on one end.

"Where?" The man asked.

Where? I asked myself.

[System Query. Water delivery system at mandibular opening.]

""Mouth"" I said.

A moment later I could hear water gushing.

Something inside me CAME ALIVE.

I could hear servos moving. Gears clanking.

Was that. Steam?

[Water delivery successful. Processing...]

I felt something.

I felt something!

I was getting warm, deep inside.

I blinked several times.

Clarissa eeked, mutedly.

[Energy conversion commencing. Battery level at 14% and rising.]

"How's that" The man asked.

""Thank you"" I sounded better already. I guess my speech had been unmodulated to save power.

Moments passed.

[System update. Battery at 35%. Engaging automatic repair routines]

Suddenly, I became very noisy. Gears were grinding. Steam began shooting out of places, I couldn't even see.

Then, like a blanket of life, of cold fire, fell over me all at once. I could FEEL. My body.

And it HURT.

""ARRRGH!"" I cried out.

The man and girl stepped back, in fear.

I held up my hand.

MY HAND!

My right hand was metallic. It was partitioned like a lifelike robot, with joints and gaps where I could move my elbow and fingers. My arms were covered in strange shapes, almost like runes or tattoos. I looked at my own arm.

""Wait!"" I said.

""Won't hurt. Just in ... pain.""

Another wave of intense pain racked my body. I screamed.

I looked at my other shoulder. Apparently I could move my head now?

There was only an empty socket where my left arm should have been.

I knew it.

I bit my lip. That's new.

I looked down.

I was metallic, but also sinewy. My body looked bronze, with light and dark areas. Parts of me glowed with a greenish hue. However, while that was pretty seriously troubling, that was not the worst of it.

Below my stomach, where my legs should be, and ... my butt? There was nothing.

If I was a doll, or a golem? I was pretty broken.

Another wave of pain - so so much worse than before - racked my body.

This is bad.

[Warning! System reboot in 10... 9... 8... ]

""Help - "" I managed before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this novel. There's so much in store for you, and Aegis. His adventures will be quite cool, and I hope you share them with me! Please star, comment, and share!


	4. Chapter 4

[System Message:   
Reboot Complete.   
Battery at 100%.   
Mana reserves at 0%   
Damage assessment incomplete. 

Unable to access:

~Lower torso and legs.  
~Left arm.

~Left ocular receiver is badly damaged. Recommend replacement at earliest convenience.

Significant impairment to motion and activity until repairs can be made]

""Uggggh"" I had a tremendous headache. Someone turn off the droning in my head.

My eyes clicked open. I was lying in someone's bed in a fairly small but breezy room. There was a curtained window that let in what must be midday sunshine. The curtains moved about in a cool breeze that danced across my face.

My face.

My golem face.

How could I be feeling this breeze?

[System Query: Feelings. Sensory and Mana sensitivity result of MagiTech components beneath outer shell. Sensory mode at 0 (normal)]

How was I doing that? Talking to myself? Were there two of me in my head?

[System Query: Spiritual / Mana / Mechanical Interface at Level 0 ( text only ) due to severe trauma and system resources dedicated to maintaining AEGIS.]

I took in a deep breath. I could smell complex odors. There was food being cooked in a nearby location. Outside the window I could hear the sounds of clopping -- presumably horsed on cobblestones, and distant people talking.

I blinked several times. CLICK CLICK.

So, you're the Interface?

[System Query: Interface at Level 0 (text only) due to lack of integration with Spiritual Entity residing in Host system. Further interaction required.]

Oh, so you're the interface between me in my head, and this body. And it's text only because I'm basically a baby again and I could accidentally blow myself up if started messing around with my system?

[System Query: you are a baby.]

My eyes opened wide! I did not expect sass from a command line.

I stretched out my hand ( the only one I have, apparently) and looked closely. It seemed to resemble a human hand very closely on the surface, but deep inside I could sense that there was a lot going on. I was human shaped, but definitely not human. I touched the place where my left arm should connect to my body and got a shock.

""Ouch"" I said to no one in particular.

The door to the bedroom I was in creaked open.

A blond set of curls and a blue eye peeked through the opening. I grinned and waved. With a muffled "yeep" the curls disappeared as the door latched shut.

"DAAAAD! It's awake! Come see!"

I cringed. *it*'s awake. Did I look that bad?

[System Query: AEGIS is designed to appear human. Current camouflage routines are offline due to lack of Mana.]

Well, whatever this Mana was, apparently I needed it. It must not be ambient, or from sunlight, otherwise I sensed that my battery system would be receiving it. Somehow I knew that between the solar cells somewhere on my body, and moisture collectors constantly feeding water to my ... heart? I could maintain power indefinitely. How odd that I could just simply think about it and it was just there. I felt like a small boy trapped in a very large and complicated castle. And if I wasn't careful, I could fall off a ledge or set the place on fire.

Was this really the simulation I was supposed to be in? Was this some surprise my dad set up? Telling me I was going to be in some boring space sim, and instead popping me into some kind of fantasy realm?

I smiled inwardly.

I had played so many video games after I'd been pulled out of school, and all other doors for activity had been closed for me. There were a surprising amount of soccer games, as well as role playing games, space battles, first person shooters, and more. I beat them all. My favorites were ones where you started out essentially a helpless newbie, and you became godlike in the end.

System, is there a list of my capabilities?

[System query: Capabilities. AEGIS is a sentient golem who's capabilities are limited only by 3 factors: 1) physical and mechanical laws of nature 2) mana and magical sophistication 3) *** classified ***]

Classified? What the heck does that mean?

[System query: you are a baby]

I chuckled. So whomever created this golem ... me ... had a sense of humor. I could almost feel the presence of the person or persons who created this ... simulation? They knew I would be curious. They were not going to give me all the answers right away. What fun would that be?

Steeling myself, I resolved to take this world at face value. To confront these challenges like I would any video game. This felt so ... real.

I gazed at my mechanical arm. It looked like a work of art. Metal, with rune-like indentations all over it, but there were organic aspects as well. It felt so ... alive! I could see wires and glowing parts near the joints. I had a sense that my body was waiting for something. For what?

Well, how about some legs and another arm for starters!

My attention snapped back to the room as Clarissa and her dad walked in hesitantly.

"Hello," the man said. "My name is Gier. This is my daughter Clarissa." he gestured to the beautiful girl standing next to him. She curtseyed unconsciously, then caught herself as she realized she had almost treated me like ... a real person. She punched her dad in the shoulder.

"C'mon dad. This is not a person, it's a robot. Why are you talking like - "

""I am a person"" I said plainly.

Clarissa's eyes went wide and her jaw fell open.

"How can - how can you be doing that?" She looked at her dad with a sly, knowing expression.

"You're doing that, dad. How did you do it? You have some controller behind you?" She twisted around her surprised father - who was dressed in plain coveralls, with some kind of leather apron over them. He looked to be in his late 50's - with white hair, slightly pudgy stomach, but kind eyes and an angular face that implied he'd been a powerhouse in his younger days.

He looked at his daughter walking around him and he raised his arms defensively.

"Whoah whoah, Clarissa. This isn't me. I think this is a Golem."

Golem. That name again.

""Yes. I'm a golem. My name is Aegis. Nice to meet you."" I held up my arm to shake his hand, but I got imbalanced by the sudden movement and fell over in the bed. I was lying sideways, my face half covered in blankets, and my arm outstretched on the bed.

A giggle burst out of Clarissa's mouth. Both her and her father stepped forward to put me upright again, their initial fears somewhat allayed by my clumsy movements.

I grinned, despite myself. I should be pretty upset that I was ... in pieces. But their kind faces and the sunny, bright room pushed away the shadows in my thoughts ... for now.

"Let's try that again, Aegis." Gier said. He grasped my hand firmly and shook it. He then gestured to Clarissa. With wide eyes she looked at her father, then me. Tentatively, she held out her hand. I held it very gently.

""Thank you for saving me"" I said.

She pulled her hand back as if she'd touched a hot iron.

"I didn't do anything. It was my dad." she muttered.

""You found me. I was ... dying."" Could I die? What if my power had went to zero?

[System query: complete loss of power would result in loss of integration with AEGIS system. Spiritual energy would cease to exist.]

Well, THAT was scary. I almost did ... die. But, I had been dying for a long time now.

"So, Aegis. Who or what are you? Where did you come from? Mir castle has been abandoned for over 50 years. Is that where are from?" Gier asked as he walked around to the open window. The breeze moved the curtains to brush his face as he peered out the window.

Mir castle? Wait, the Interface had said I had been created by a Kendranen Mir. What he the master of the castle?

I pursed my lips. ""I don't have any memory of anything before your daughter found me"" I lied. I didn't want to mention the hooded figure. Last thing I wanted to do was scare the two people who were showing me some kindness. But, I wondered if I was putting their lives in danger.

Already this game had its hooks in me, I realized. There standing before me were two people I would fight to defend, and I barely knew them.

[System message: You are THE SHIELD]

A shock went through my body. It was more than electric.

Something had resonated deep within me. Aegis. THE SHIELD.

Oh man.

""I know I was created by someone named Kendranen Mir. Does that mean anything to you?" I asked.

Both Clarissa and Gier took a step back from me. Their eyes were wide. Was that ... awe? Fear?

""Please! Please don't do that. What did I say? "" I begged.

"That guy was our town's wizard. He was very powerful. He kept us safe from all kinds of creatures and dangers from the Wild Woods and beyond. They called him Ken the Kind. " Clarissa said quietly.

""Was? Where did he go?"" I turned my head sideways in question as I asked.

"Go?" Gier snorted. "He'd dead. Killed."

Oh. Oh no.

""Do they know - do you know who did it? How did he die?""

The looked at me warily.

"They said the killer had glowing eyes" Gier said flatly.


	5. Chapter 5

""Listen, I -"" I began.

At that precise moment the door to the room burst open and a reddish brown blur streaked to the bed. Clarissa shrieked and lifted her leg in surprise. Her exaggerated motions were almost funny, if it wasn't for the huge brown animal now licking my face furiously.

""Wha - wha!"" I raised my arm to defend myself, only succeeding in causing me to fall over once again.

Standing on my chest, licking my face was a brown Irish Setter dog.

Helplessly, I waved my arm and managed to say "urk".

The dog set back on its haunches and barked 3 times.

[System alert: detecting mana source nearby. ]

Clarissa half laughed. She put her hand to her mouth and walked up to the dog. Without thinking she began to pet it and rub it's back.

"What a pretty dog! Is it yours?" she asked.

I managed to push myself upright.

""I've never seen this dog in my life.""

[System alert: canine is known as Bud. Previous owner Kendranen Mir. Current owner: AEGIS.]

""His name is Bud. "" I said suddenly.

"Wait, you just said you never saw this dog before. Which is it?" Clarissa put her hands on her hips and gave me 'the eye'. I would be getting that look quite often, it seemed.

""Something ... something told me."" I replied. I was getting more licks. I petted Bud's head gently. That spawned three more barks and another lick bath.

"What do you mean, something?" Gier asked. He was half smiling at the dog's antics.

""Look guys. You may not believe this, but until yesterday, I was just a normal " -- NOT NORMAL - I remembered -- "boy who was undergoing a ... procedure for an illness. The next thing I know I wake up as this golem in the dirt and my body parts are missing. I don't know where I am, or who you are, or ... anything!" I was starting to yell.

Gier put his hands up placatingly.

"Listen son. It's ok. Kendranen was a powerful wizard. Maybe those memories you have, maybe he put them there? Could you be some kind of experiment?"

I looked at him silently.

The dog sat back and stared at me with is glistening brown eyes. Something sparkled under his chin.

[System alert: presence of mana detected.]

Clarissa looked under the dog's chin. "What's this?" She cupped a blue glowing orb, attached to a collar.

"Dad! Come look at this!" she turned to her father excitedly.

Gier walked over to the other side of the bed and appraised the glowing orb.

""This was Kendranen's dog."" I said. ""Could that be some kind of magic charm?""

I was still processing the old man's words. Could... could my memories be fake? Was I just imagining my former life?

NO.

I doubt a wizard in a fantasy setting could come up with something as unlike this world as video games, soccer, and daytime television. My life was REAL.

It was THIS life I was struggling to accept.

Gier was looking at me carefully.

"Look son. We are simple folk. My daughter was just snooping around -- where she shouldn't have been -- " his last words were louder and he eyed his daughter, who looked down in shame.

"We don't want to get involved in Wizard dealings. "

""I appreciate your help, sir. I have no one here. No one who can help me. "" I replied.

Bud barked. More licking. Ugh.

Clarissa's eyes danced. "Well, it looks like you have at least one helper."

Gier gave her another "look" as if to say 'don't agitate the dangerous, possibly murderous golem'.

She quailed. "Are you hungry? Do you ... eat?" she asked tentatively.

I turned to look at her. My broken eye was glitching out and I felt like I was looking through a snowstorm.

""I don't think so. But I could use some more water.""

Her face lit up, and she bounced out of the room. Casting a "I told you so" look at her dad.

I petted Bud and managed to get him to lie down while I looked at the orb.

It was about the size of a marble, with an intense blue glow. It was held by a silver dragon's claw attached to a leather strap that wrapped around the dog's neck.

[System message: Alert! Mana source located. Connect to mana source? (Y/N)]

Oh. This dog had been owned by my creator. Would he be upset if I tapped into his dog's magic necklace? Or, what if this was on purpose? Come to think of it, the leather strap didn't look like a dog's collar. It was too thin and loose. It was a wonder it hadn't already fallen off.

I carefully started to lift the necklace from the dog. He looked at me with those brown eyes and whimpered. I couldn't quite get it over his head.

""Is it ok boy? Ok if I borrow this?""

Bud licked my cheek.

Ok, here goes.

I had trouble getting it up off of Bud's neck, with just one arm.

Clarissa had returned with a glass of water. She put the glass down on the table, bit her lip and reached over to lift up the necklace for me. She stepped back as it was freed up and looked like she would bolt at any moment. She had a pretty green dress on. It was plain, while seeming well cared for and tied with a white fabric around her waist.

""Thank you Clarissa."" I said kindly. She blushed.

Awkwardly, I managed to get the necklace over my own head and it dropped to my shoulder.

In my mind, I said 'yes'.

At that moment, my life changed.

Literally.

Before that moment, I had lived as a boy in a human body, and now for a brief time I had lived as a boy in a mechanical body. Not too much different. I still thought of myself as "human".

At that moment I connected to something that was beyond myself. Beyond ... everything!

I could see and hear things from miles away. People talking. Monsters! Prowling around in the distant forest. Horses carrying large wagons just outside this cabin. My awareness ZOOOMED outward as if I was in a huge invisible elevator looking downward. If I had a human stomach, I probably would have lost the contents of it as the world shrank below me.

I could see the town, which was quite large, I guess for a medieval fantasy town. I could see the huge Castle Mir, farther away atop a very tall hill, almost a mountain. Then forest all around, until I could sense other towns and villages. But that was only one aspect.

I could 'feel' the life force in ... everything. Clarissa and Gier , and even Bud looked in my eyes as glowing life forces. Each one a unique hue. I could "feel" the presence of hundreds of lives all around me - people, creatures, dogs, cats, birds, even bugs. It all crashed into my awareness at once.

I screamed in pain as my brain was ripped apart and reassembled in a new configuration. Time, space, life, death, I could somehow understand it all. In that briefest of moments, I sensed something else. Something dark. A void. Not just the absence of life, but it's opposite. An un-life. I felt a deep anger. It hated. It wanted death. I shivered deep within. Somehow, it could sense me. A baleful eye opened in the cosmos. It cast about for me.

I cringed and withdrew myself from the orb. My throat hurt. I must have been screaming.

Gier and Clarissa stood there, almost quivering.

""I'm sorry"" I said. ""I didn't know it would do that. I'll stop screaming now.""

Despite her fear, Clarissa quirked a half smile.

"You really don't know anything do you?" she asked.

Gier swiped a hand at his daughter's shoulder. "Clarissa!"

""No no. It's OK. And to answer your question. I know for sure that my memories are not artificial. I was a boy named Aegis. Now, I guess I'm a golem with the same name. ""

There was a knocking at the cabin's door. Apparently my screams had alerted the local police. A firm voice was questioning outside.

"Mr. Sarman? It's the police. Can you come to the door please?" someone was saying.

Gier blanched. He put his finger to his lips and walked out of the door.

Something SHIFTED within me. OOHHHH.

[System alert. Mana reserves at 100%.   
Perceptual mode : Map enabled.   
Perceptual mode: Life Force enabled.

Automatic camouflage engaged. ]

I felt a strange pulling sensation. Like when you get a blood draw. ( I had that happen so often, it was a common feeling for me. ) I looked down at my arm. My eyes grew wide.

Skin. I saw pink, fleshy skin!

Had I been changed back into a human? Frantically I looked at my left shoulder. No arm. I pulled my sheets back without thinking. Normal chest, belly button. And then ... nothing below.

Clarissa acked and turned her head away.

Hastily I covered myself again. "Sorry" I said.

Wow, even my voice sounded different.

"How... how did you do that?" Clarissa peeked at me through her fingers with her hands on her face.

I made a half smile.

"I don't know? Magic?"

It was at that moment that two blue uniformed policeman burst into the room, with a very nervous Gier behind them. Clarissa backed away to the wall.

"What is this? Who are you? Why were you screaming?" The first officer said as he pointed a baton at me.

I Looked at Gier and Clarissa helplessly.

Bud barked.


	6. Chapter 6

"I - I" I began.

"He's my cousin!" Clarissa chimed in. She seemed to gather her wits and stood in front of the policeman, bravely.

She inhaled. "This is my cousin, Aegis. He was telling me a story of how he lost his arm in the Wild Woods. He was screaming like he did to scare away the Goblins. They injured his arm and it had to be ... amputated." She looked downward, the picture of sadness. I was impress with her quick thinking.

"Yes." I agreed. "It was terrible. I almost didn't make it out of there alive." I added.

The policeman looked taken aback. He had seemed to be ready to rough me up and take me in to jail ... for screaming?

"I'm terribly sorry, uh young man. When we heard the screaming, we thought perhaps it was another robbery. There have been a rash of small crimes lately in this part of town. It's our job to investigate." He was rubbing his hands together nervously. The baton fell to his side.

"You see, officer. There's obviously no crime going on here. Especially with a cripple like that" Gier said as he slowly stepped between myself, Clarissa, and the policemen.

They gave me another long look. Tipped their hats like they were on some kind of sunny excursion, and left without another word.

As they left the room, Clarissa collapsed and sat at the foot of the bed, letting out a big "whoosh" of breath.

"Thank's Clarissa. I owe you one." I said quietly.

She turned suddenly and eyed me suspiciously. "Don't think that I've accepted you as anything more than some kind of creature created by wizards. For all we know, you killed your master as he tried to destroy you."

Taken aback, I stared at the dog, who whined slightly and put his head on my chest.

"I'm sorry you think that way. But know this. I would never hurt Anyone. Least of all the one who saved me."

She blushed. "Stop saying that. I didn't do anything. All I did was get my dad. And it was you that got ME in trouble."

"Oh? How did I do that? I couldn't even move."

She pursed her lips. "I ... wasn't supposed to be snooping around there. The area around Mir Castle is forbidden. I was just looking for ... " She looked up at me, into my eyes. She realized she was talking to a golem, I guess because her eyes widened and she frowned. "Oh, why am I even talking to you? You're causing me and my father a lot of trouble!" She stood up, her arms stiff at her sides.

"Thank you for the water." I answered.

That seemed to let some steam out of her anger.

"Your welcome." Without turning back to look, she walked stiffly out of the room.

I carefully reached for the water and took a drink. It seemed to refresh something inside my mechanism. Without thinking I offered some water to Bud. He galluped the water thirstily, splashing it all over the bed in his enthusiasm.

"Geeze, dog. You must have been thirsty!" I wondered where he had come from. If my creator was dead 50 years ago, how could his pet dog still be alive? Bud didn't look older than say 3 or 4. Something was odd. And how did this dog know I was here, or even that I was a friend?

I heard Gier and Clarissa arguing in the other room, and I flashed back to my parents fighting over me. Over medical bills. Over expenses. I cringed inwardly.

[System alert. AGEIS acquisition of Mana source has unlocked two new perceptual modes. As well as a new Interface mode. Switch to audio Interface mode? (y/n)]

"Audio mode? Like you can talk to me? Sure.... Uh YES".

*Hello AEGIS*

I nearly fell out of the bed. There was a voice ... inside my head. "Text" mode was like reading something on the chalkboard in my mind's eye. This was like a .... Someone ... was in my head.

"Hello ... Interface?" I said querulously.

*Congratulations. You've managed to secure a Mana source. That's excellent.*

"Um, gee. How is it that you are suddenly so chatty. Before you were like a ... computer." I asked.

*Text interface mode is for low power, and thus low AI demands. Think of it like a very basic , low level way of talking. But now, you've got power and Mana galore! I have reactivated my AI routines and I'm ready to assist you. *

The voice sounded not very much unlike a character in a movie I watched once. It was a superhero with a suit that had an AI built into it. This simulation - if it really was one - was getting better all the time.

"Can you ... can you tell me who I am?" I asked.

*Well, even in text mode, I told you you are a creation of Kendranen Mir. You are a golem. A sentient being fused to a mechanical body. You are the pinnacle of your creator's research. You are a fusion of Magic, Science, and Spirit. Well, we are.*

"Yes, how does this work, are you a separate entity - "

The door opened again.

Gier walked in again. He was pushing something in front of him as he came around to the bed. He had an odd look on his face.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble mister Sarman." I began.

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't mind the police. Those characters are busybodies who try to pry into everyone's business. They mean well, but they are often two or three steps behind when it comes to discovering what's going on in this town."

"I have something for you. I'm not sure if you can use it, but it was my wife's" he pulled the cover off the object he had pushed in. It was a wheelchair.

Oh. My.

My mind flashed back to the hospital where I had spent so much of my recent life. Wheelchairs were everywhere. I had spent too much time in those devices - when I should have been walking ... running ... playing soccer.

My eyes closed and I made a fist.

"That's quite a trick you've done there. Masked your appearance. Can you conjure up some new legs?"

I shook my head. I had no idea how I was generating some kind of illusion to make me look like I had normal skin, hair, and face. It must be just built in - like a reflex.

"That's too bad. Well, until you find a way to get around, would you like to try this out? Like I said, it was my wife's" His face darkened and he looked at the floor.

"She was ill for a long time, before ... before she passed. But she was a kind soul, and I bet she wouldn't mind if you used her wheelchair. She would probably have given it to you, even if she'd still needed it. "

I looked up at Gier's face. His eyes were glistening.

"Thank you. This is all very kind of you. Why are you doing this?"

Gier rubbed his chin , pondering his answer. "You see, boy. My wife wanted to have children for a long time. Finally, she was able to have Clarissa - but she died in childbirth. I can only assume that this wizard had a similar issue. He wanted children. Perhaps you were his path to having a legacy. So, I think my wife would want me to help out any child, no matter who, or what they are. "

"I understand. Please listen when I say I have no idea who killed my creator. And I would never harm anyone. As a matter of fact " -- a deep pang struck me from within as I thought of this -- "I think I was created to ... protect people. "

His eyes grew wide.

Bud barked. I petted the dog absently.

"Do you ... could you get something for Bud here? He seems kinda hungry, and ... thirsty. I looked down at the wet sheets. "Sorry"

Gier gave me an appraising look.

"Clarissa! Get something for our friend's dog." he called to the other room.

"Okay!" I heard back.

He pushed the chair close to my bed and turned it around. I had done this so many times in the hospital, I pulled myself across the bed, grabbed the arm of the chair, and - wow! - lifted myself effortlessly on to the chair. Apparently I was very strong.

Gier nodded , his mouth slightly open in wonder.

I propped myself against the back of the chair and used my arm to move the wheel. I was awkward at first, but after a few moments, I was moving around the room.

Clarissa walked into the room with two bowls and nearly tripped in surprise as she saw me move around in the chair. A mix of emotions crossed her face as she saw the chair her mother used being driven by another person, but also seeing me moving around, I wonder if she felt I was more threatening.

Bud barked and came up to Clarissa, whining and sniffing. Gier gave her a knowing look and she lowered the bowls on the floor. I rolled up behind her. It made me more than a little sad to think that I would probably never have a girlfriend again. Clarissa, with her exaggerated emotions and golden curly hair , seemed like a really nice person. But I guess maybe I could try to be friends.

"What do you think?" I asked.

She yelped a bit and turned around. She looked at me , then at the chair.

"Does this mean you're going to leave? Have you gotten what you wanted?" Her lip quivered a bit.

"Do you want me to leave?" I looked into her eyes.

"Whatever." She walked out.

"Aegis, don't take it too hard. Clarissa has had a hard life without a mom. Give her a little time." Gier said.

I nodded.

*Aegis. Something is going on outside. There is a disturbance.*

"Something's happening outside" I said.

Gier walked to the window and peered out. I rolled over to the window myself.

When I looked outside, I saw a busy street. This town was fairly large - when I had looked down on it during my Mana episode, I thought it looked like a mini - london esque town. There were tall buildings mixed in with one and two story cottages. The roads were cobblestone and seemed wide enough to fit two horse drawn wagons going side to side. There was a lot of smoke in the sky, and what appeared to be factories in the distance.

There were people of all walks of life travelling along the sidewalks. Men and women in expensive clothing walking alongside more common people with rough clothing, pushing carts or mothers walking with children. There was an air of festive energy in the eyes of the people walking by. Except for the folks shrinking back from two rather large, dirty street thugs accosting an old man.

"Hey old man!" I heard them - even from across the street, as they were yelling.

"It's time to pay up! Our boss doesn't take too kindly to his tenants not paying what money is owed us! " Yelled a rather greasy looking man with straight black hair and scars across his right eye. He was palming a sword tucked into his belt.

"Please! Tell Mr Brighton I've got the money! I just need to finish today's work and I'll get paid." The old man was holding up his arms - as if to defend from the street thugs.

"If you don't got the money right now, then there's going to be hell to pay." The other thug snickered. He looked scrawny and weaselish, but his eyes were piercing.

Other townsfolk stopped in their tracks as the thugs menaced the old man. Children cried as mothers yanked them away. Where were the police now?

The larger thug pulled out his sword.

"We're going to take it out on your hide! Heh he he!" He struck the old man with the flat of his sword. The man fell - blood on his forehead.

A sense of anger came over me that I had never felt before. Sure, I had gotten mad about injustice, or about people getting hurt, in the past. But that had been an intellectual thing. Something for OTHER people to fix. I was just a helpless bystander.

But now, I could feel the outrage building within me.

*Warning Aegis. Those two men appear to be attacking that man.*

"You think?"

Gier looked at me. "What are you doing?" he asked as he saw me begin to wheel out the bedroom door.

"I'm going to protect that man" I said.


	7. Chapter 7

"You're gonna regret the day you was born!" The weasel-looking thug sneered at the fallen old man. Bleeding from his face, from the edge of the sword, the man clasped his hands and begged for mercy.

"Please! Just let me get the money from my work! I have a sick wife. I'm the only who can wo-" The larger thug swiped his hand and struck the old man across the face.

"Shut up! We came here for money or blood! And it looks like you're out of money!" the greasy one said.

He raised his hand again.

"Stop." I said. I was rolling across the cobblestone road. My arm worked furiously as I approached the old man.

"Well well well. What's this? A cripple defending an old man!" Greasy hair guffawed.

"Please, don't come near them. They are from the street gang that rules this neighborhood. Please, just go" the old man managed to say to me. He was trying to save me. From these ... vermin.

The weasely one walked up to me and stopped my wheelchair with his foot.

"You should take the old man's advice boy. It's the last he's ever going to give!"

*I highly advise you to remove yourself from this situation, AEGIS. Our options are severely limited, and our mobility is - *

"Shut up" I said, to everyone.

I pointed to the old man. "You! Are you ok? You're bleeding."

He looked at me with pleading eyes. He had lost hope. And some insane crippled boy was going to get hurt as well.

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Clarissa and Gier had stepped outside their house. She was looking at me with wide eyes, her hand to her mouth.

"Shut up? Did you just tell me to shut up?" Greasy man said. He sauntered up to me.

Good. He wasn't paying attention to the old man now.

'Interface. What are my options. Do I have any weapons inside me?'

*AEGIS, in some ways, your whole body is a weapon. There are several routines for hand to hand combat. But I highly advise ...*

"Ah ah ah" I said.

Greasy man was taken aback somewhat by my audacity.

"What's with you boy? You have a deathwish? Tired of wheeling around like a worm?" Greasy said.

Weasel laughed.

The old man took a step backwards.

Greasy turned to him

"You! Stay right there. We'll deal with you after crazy worm boy here gets a lesson in manners!"

I could feel the power welling up within me. I KNEW this was the right thing. I gripped the chair so hard the metal started crushing under my grip.

"Yes, greasy. Teach me a lesson." I said calmly as I stared into his eyes.

Something about the way I looked at him made him shiver.

"C'mon man! The boss is waiting. We need to kill this old man and get out of here!" Weasel said.

How could I be saying what I thought I would say? Was I crazy after all?

"Over my dead body" I said quietly.

"Nuuhhh!" Greasy swung the flat of his sword at me. I think his intention was to knock me out of the chair. Probably would kick me then and mock me.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

Like a coiled spring, I struck.

As his sword came close to me I reached out with my only hand and gripped the sword so hard the blade collapsed under my hand. I used that leverage to launch myself toward the greasy man and hit him head first with my forehead.

My whole body shook with the force of impact and I heard a crunch as his nose collapsed beneath my metallic head. Blood burst from his face and I spun away - pushing with my torso to uppercut him in the chin. Tumbling, I landed on my hand - balancing my body ... impossibly with one hand with splayed out fingers. I was upside down but fortunately my illusion had thought to give me pants.

Greasy man fell back and hit the ground hard. His face was a bloody mess. The ruined sword clattered to the pavement.

All eyes were on me. Weasel man, old guy, bystanders, Gier, Clarissa. Everyone.

I lowered myself to the ground and lifted my hand to Weasel. I beckoned him with my fingers.

'Neo would be proud' I thought to myself. While I stayed calm on the outside, internally I was ecstatic. I could DO this! What in the heck WAS I?

*Well, AEGIS, this is unexpected.* My Interface said dryly.

"Damn right it is." I said out loud.

I was a spirit trapped in a robot body with only one arm and no lower half, but at that moment I never felt so alive. So RIGHT.

Footsteps sounded behind me. Gasps from the bystanders caused me to glance backward. The police were running toward our little encounter. That's just GREAT. Where were they 10 minutes ago?

In that moment of distraction my weasel friend pulled what looked like a gun. It had an odd appearance -- strangely misshapen. Like a cross between a flintlock gun and a small hair dryer.

*Caution, AEGIS. That weapon can fire metallic projectiles. While it won't harm you, it could ricochet and hurt a bystander.*

I nodded.

"Look man! I don't know who or what you are, but you've messed with the WRONG gang!" He turned abruptly and fired at the old man.

NO!

I launched myself instinctively to put myself between the bullet and the man, but it was already too late. The bullet ripped into the man's side and I went sprawling and hit the wall of the nearby building.. Hard.

*Warning! Impact has damaged your internal calibration systems. Advise retreat immediately!* Interface warned.

The police arrived, they also had those strange hair dryer looking weapons.

"Halt! " They yelled.

The weasely one looked down at the old man, bleeding. And then to his friend who was out like a light and bleeding himself. He sneered.

"We'll be seeing you - worm!" He yelled and took off running.

"Stop!" Called one of the policemen, he took off running after the thug. The other rushed to the old man's side. People screamed and scattered at the first shot.

Gier and Clarissa ran across the street as the second thug escaped. Gier knelt down and lifted me upright.

"Ughghgh" I said. Rubbing my head.

Clarissa knelt down as well, she put my face in her hands.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" she asked. Her eyes were full of concern.

"That was a brave thing to do, son." Gier said as he glanced over at the fallen thug. More police were arriving.

He looked me in the eye --- "Brave, ... or stupid" he quirked a half smile.

"Both." I said wearily. "Definitely both"

One of the policeman was the same as before. He walked up to me as other men in uniform were already lifting the unconscious man by his shoulders.

"Will he be ok?" I called to the men.

"Oh he'll be fine. Can't say the same for old man Roddins." The officer said sadly.

"Oh!" I sat up and looked over at the old man. He wasn't moving. Two officers were kneeled over him. One reached down and closed the man's eyes.

"NO!" I cried.

NO! This was NOT how it was supposed to happen! I was supposed to show off my incredible skills, beat the thugs, and win the girl! Instead, I nearly killed the first thug, the weasely thug had killed the old man, and had gotten away anyway! What kind of crappy game was this?

Gier walked back to me, his face a stony mask.

"Aegis, I convinced them that you had acted in self defence. They will probably want to question you later but they are going to let me take you back home. Promise me you won't kill anyone before we get back to the house."

I cringed. I looked over at Clarissa. She was looking at me with a mixture of awe, fear, and maybe something like respect? I had really messed this up.

"Yes, mister Sarman. I understand."

After lifting me up onto the wheelchair he pushed me back to their house. People avoided us as we crossed. The crowd that had gathered because of the disturbance parted like some kind of biblical sea before my Moses of mortification.

After we entered the house, Gier helped me to my bed and left without a word. Bud jumped on my bed and lie at the foot - whining quietly.

The day was growing darker. I spent the rest of it looking out the curtained window and learned that golems can cry.


	8. Chapter 8

Golems don't sleep, apparently. 

The room grew dark as the copper sun set in the evening. Gas lights came on along the street - at first making me think the place was on fire, but either by magic or some automatic spark - the lamps lit up the streets outside - while people hurried home to their husbands and wives.

Only, one wife was in for a long wait.

*AEGIS, you have been very quiet since the altercation with the men outside. Have you lost the ability to communicate?* The Interface asked.

"No. I'm just... Sad."

*Are you distressed about the death of the man you sought to defend, but failed at the critical moment?*

"YES!" What a way to throw salt in the wound ...

*AEGIS, you realize that there were at least 20 overwhelming factors against you. Beginning with your own damaged state, your lack of weapons and experience, the motivations of the criminals against that man, the fragile state of the victim ....*

"I KNOW" I yelled. It was evening and the Sarman's were probably about to go to sleep - I immediately regretted the outburst.

*And yet, as you say, you are sad. Why? The probability of success against such odds was less than 15%*

"You don't get it." I whispered.

*Get . It? I'm sorry my speech parser does not understand those combination of words. Was there something we needed to procure?*

I held my face in my hand.

"'You don't get it' is the same as saying 'you don't understand'" It was easy to forget I was talking to a machine, no matter how intelligent it seemed.

*If you were aware of the odds of success, why did you attempt to save that man?*

I sighed.

"I - I - thought this was a game." I managed to whisper.

*... Processing ...*

*You believe that you were performing some sort of recreation? Our sensory devices did not find any patterns matching any known games or other recreational opportunities in the situation across the street. Are we perhaps more damaged than I have currently estimated?*

The Interface sounded puzzled. And ... worried?

"No. Your perceptual gizmos and AI patterns were accurately modelling the situation. I meant, I thought I was in a game. That this" -- I gestured to the darkened room -- "All of this since I've awakened, was some sort of game. I am not from this 'world'. I'm from a world with televisions, video games, and movies. I'm supposed to be in a space simulation."

*... Processing ...*

* ... Processing ... *

*I'm sorry. I am unable to understand your statements. Request permission to access your memory angrams*

I blinked. CLICK

"Um, will it hurt me? Will I lose those memories?"

*Negative. I will convert memory patterns into training algorithms for my AI subroutines. You will not get ... hurt*

"Oh well. Knock yourself out."

*Agreed. I shall go offline for the duration of the memory acquisition and training*

"No! Wait!" I reached out with my hand to the darkness, futilely.

Nothing.

For the first time since I had been "reborn" I was alone. Completely alone.

I laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

The light from the gas lamps outside, and the occasional clopping of a horse drawn carriage doing who knows what so late at night lulled me into some kind of trance.

Despite sharing a "mind" with an intelligent AI all this time, I was still very sad. And now alone.

I had failed. Failed that old man. Failed Clarissa and Gier. 

Failed myself. 

And for what? So I could swagger around in a metal body and kill people with a touch? Did I .. did I kill my creator? Was I a monster in this world? What the hell was going on?

"I wish I had someone to talk to." I whispered. Maybe that would recall Interface.

Something stirred at my chest.

Bud, who had jumped down off the bed, but was still close by, woofed in his sleep.

The necklace. It was ... buzzing. I could feel it vibrating against my chest. The room was growing brighter with a clear blue light. What did I do?

'Interface, help!' I whispered.

~Interface ... as you call it ... cannot hear you right now~

WHAT. WAS. THAT!

I had heard a voice. A woman's voice. But, it wasn't in my head, and it hadn't been a sound. It was like having a daydream and hearing a conversation across a wide open field.

A beam of light shot out of my necklace. I clutched at it - trying to get it off, but the strap seemed glued to my body.

The beam was like a moonbeam on steroids. It was filled with glittering particles, all different colors, yet the light was blue. I lie there mesmerized as the particles danced and formed all kinds of different patterns. Shapes, words, sounds? Smells? Was I having some kind of psychotic break? I wondered if I was still actually lying in that salt water pool back in my world, and they had just administered some kind of drug to wake me up.

"Sorry doctor. It's not working" I whispered.

Suddenly the sparkles and light ... gathered? Coalesced?

Floating above me was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had a round face, with almond shaped eyes, framed by short curly hair that splayed out impossibly far - like she was underwater or something. She was dressed in ... light? It looked like a flowing gown, like almost a sun dress , and it moved like a gentle breeze was flowing, but the room was still. The curtains didn't move.

She chuckled and put her hand to her mouth as she smiled. She was very cute. I felt extremely vulnerable and self-conscious all of the sudden.

~I'm no doctor. Though I AM here to help you, Aegis.~

I rubbed my eyes. Why did I do that? They were mechanical. Plus, one was still seriously glitching out. My vision would go from 3d to 2d as my eye would try valiantly to keep working, only to wink out. It was seriously damaged.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

~I am ... Bright. Yes, that is my name. That is what HE called me~

For a moment the light within her flared. The room suddenly became filled with blue light. She was like a fiery blue sun. I squinted. My damaged eye blinked out. It was kaput.

The light faded suddenly. Her hand was to her mouth again and she looked worried. She was just so cute when she did that. My heart fluttered.

~Oh! I'm sorry. I damaged you~

In a heartbeat she had zoomed up to me - filling my view with blue light, and her face. She touched my eye. Or at least her hand overlapped my eye. She was like a ghost.

A shock rang through my body. It was like someone had taken a spear and shoved it through my eye and out the back of my head.

"OUCH" I cried out.

~Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm not very good at this, I guess~ she drifted back slowly. Her arms were bent toward her face, almost like in prayer. Her eyes were closed.

"No, wait! Don't go! Oh.. wow! You fixed my eye? How? How did you do that?" I exclaimed.

I was blinking furiously. For the first time since I had "arrived" my vision was clear. No static. No 2d - 3d shifting. I looked at her as if for the first time. She looked like a fairy, or a ghost princess?

She looked at me shyly. She was smiling. Her mouth was small compared to her face, but her lips were like a little bow. I realized I'd do just about anything to keep her smiling.

~That was magic. As I said, I'm Bright. I've missed you Aegis. You seem ... different somehow. More alive.~

"Different? I'm the same person I've been since I got here yesterday. Or was it the day before?"

Bright looked surprised.

~Yesterday? You say you've only been here since yesterday?~

"Uh huh. Is that ... a bad thing?" I looked down at Bud. He was sound asleep. So much for being a watch dog.

Bright giggled.

~No no. That means ... HE did it. He found you.~ she smiled and drifted down to the foot of the bed. She appeared to be sitting, but her dress and her ... body ... imperfectly overlapped the fabric. It was like she was a hologram.

"Are you real? Am I just imagining you? Who's HE?"

~So many questions. But I guess that's to be expected. ~ she turned to look at me with serious eyes.

~HE, is our creator. Kendranen Mir. The wizard you made you, and ... me~ She pointed to herself with two thumbs and grinned, showing perfectly blue-white teeth.

My jaw dropped.

"He MADE you? But you're a girl. Like a floating space princess."

She giggled again. Oh man.

~You have such funny words.~

She sat up straight, and pursed her lips. Gesturing with bent arms like she was pretending to be some serious old man.

~Bright, you are a construct of magic and life. You are the Mana source for Aegis. You complement his Spirit and Golem parts. I trust you to keep him from falling down a well or blowing up the castle~

She glanced at me with mock seriousness - her eyebrows frowning and her lips downward in an exaggerated face like a two year old might mock her serious father.

Then, her whole body brightened and she clutched her stomach and laughed. She was so bubbly and cute. Her light flared as she laughed.

"So, you're like a fairy in the necklace?" I asked

She arched an eyebrow.

~I'm no fairy. I'm a gazillion times more powerful than some ole dumb fairy. And I'm not in the necklace. I'm in the castle. The necklace is a .. a .. in - ter - face.~ She struggled to find the word.

A thrill of excitement flowed through me. What the heck was this? So, now I had a magical girl ghost as a source of mana?

I heard a clunk outside the door. A brief glance outside revealed that the morning sun was starting to peek over a distant building. Had I really been up all night? Ughhhg.

Bright jumped at the sound like a startled cat. She flew toward me and drifted nose to nose. Her little nose was slightly upturned. My heart melted.

~Listen AEGIS. You have to come to the castle. This necklace won't last too long without recharging from the source. ~

"What's the source?"

She bopped my nose. I FELT THAT!

~Me, silly. ~ She smiled and turned her head sideways, like a dog hearing a high pitched whistle, then disappeared in a cloud of colored sparkles - like a huge bag of glitter just exploded all over me.

I coughed.

The door opened slowly.

Golden curls.

"Can, can I come in?" I heard her say.

"Um, yeah." I suddenly felt very self conscious. Like I had been caught doing something I shouldn't have. Why was that? I realized my sadness had abated. Bright was ... incredible.

She walked in tentatively, then her face became serious and she pressed her arms to her hips like an angry mother. She had on - not a dress at all, but what could only be what passed for pants in this world, a plain white shirt, and a leather vest. She looked like some kind of pirate queen or Lara Croft adventurer. I was very surprised.

"So," she said accusingly. "Who have you been talking to all night?"


	9. Chapter 9

"I ... uh." My mind drew a blank. Clarissa's presence was so disarming. And she looked completely different from the girl I saw yesterday. She seemed more ... confident.

"I was basically talking to myself. You see, since I'm a golem, it's like I'm some kind of spirit inhabiting this mechanical body. There's some kind of ... entity which I can talk to which tells me about the body."

"Oh? Is it another person? Are there ... two of you in there?" She closed one eye and leaned forward with a searching expression on her face.

"N- no. It's more like a servant. It doesn't have a will of its own. It's meant to help me ... interact with the world. "

Clarissa came and sat down at the foot of the bed. Bud jumped up and licked her face.

"Bleah! Your dog is so ... friendly." she said between licks.

I laughed.

"He seems to like you." I replied.

"Yeah, kinda too much!" She smiled.

I was caught off guard. Wasn't she angry with me? Disappointed? I was confused at how she was acting toward me.

"Clarissa, can I ask you something?" I brought up my hand.

"Um? Sure." Her eyebrows raised in question.

"Are you mad at me... about , you know, yesterday? You and Gier dropped me off here in what must be your room, and didn't say a word to me the rest of the night. Gier must have been very angry." I looked down at my hand. I felt so ... helpless. The noises of the day, outside, people talking, horses clopping, the clanging of metal on metal as a blacksmith down the road began his day... all filled in to make a backdrop of sound as I talked to Clarissa.

Clarissa looked at her hands for a long moment. I thought perhaps she was not going to answer, when finally she said "Look, Aegis. We don't know who or what you are. Everyone in this town held the Wizard Ken with high esteem. He would fight for us. Heal sick animals. Help with disputes. He helped keep the gangs at bay. There are all kinds of bad folks in this town that want to take advantage of the weak and helpless. He was there ... to stop them."

She sighed. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, except for a few strands that framed her smooth face. Where Bright had been bubbly and totally cute, Clarissa seemed ... exciting? What is wrong with me? This is not a dating sim. I don't even think it's a sim at all...

"What you did yesterday was stupid and ill planned, and doomed to fail" she started. My throat tightened.

"But it was sweet, in a way. And brave. And, there's been nobody to do that ... since Wizard Ken died. It was like, you were channeling him somehow." She looked into my eyes.

"So, while Gier was furious at you, and the police probably want to bring you in for more questioning. And you're a stupid fool. You're also the closest thing anyone's seen to the way Wizard Ken had done things in years." She quirked a half smile.

With wide eyes. I smiled back.

"Thank you! I don't know what came over me. It just felt like it was the right thing to do. Like my purpose in life is to ... to protect people. " I answered.

Clarissa's hand went to her mouth. She just looked at me with those disconcerting, judging eyes.

"Listen, Aegis. My dad's going to be out for a while today running the store. He owns a kinda hardware supply store a few blocks away. He's usually gone most of the day, and I'm often there helping him. But today I volunteered to keep an eye on you." She dropped her eyebrows.

Woof! Bud barked.

"You and your dog Bud here." She smiled and patted him on the head.

"You look pretty when you smile." I found myself saying. Why did I do that? Argh!

Her eyes grew wide. "So, I don't look pretty unless I'm smiling?" She said in mock anger. She was blushing.

"I - I " I stammered.

"I'm flattered Aegis. Since I spend so much time with my dad in the store, I don't get to hang out with my friends that much. So, it's kinda nice to hear. " She looked somewhat wistful. She was playing idly with a bit of string in her hands. It looked like part of a bracelet she was wearing.

"Listen, Clarissa. " I said, remembering what Bright had told me, before she ... poofed.

"I need to go back to the castle. There's something there that I need to find. "

She perked up immediately.

"Really? What is it? There's really nothing there but a bunch of busted stone walls, some old furniture, and a lot of cobwebs. I've explored it pretty much top to bottom since I was a kid..."

"Oh?" I arched an eyebrow. "Did your dad know you went exploring there so much?"

She blushed again and looked down at her hands.

"What my dad doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides" she said, cheering up, "if it wasn't for my curiosity, we'd never have found you, right?"

I wondered if it was only curiosity that had led her to me that day. It was only a day or so ago. Time seemed to go so slowly when you never slept.

"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked, gesturing to her leggings and vest.

She looked surprised. "Like what? Like this?" She gestured to herself.

"Yeah, you were in a dress yesterday, and when you found me..." I started.

She gave me a dour look - sidelong eyes, lowered eyebrows, pursed lips. I was taken aback. Had I offended her? I started to say "I'm so-"

She burst out laughing and touched my hand.

"You're so odd, Aegis. You seem so worldly in one moment, and the next, like some kinda kid." Her eyes were smiling.

I shrunk away a bit. A kid? Uggggh.

She bit her lip.

"I dressed like this because we are going to the castle right? No sense getting a dress caught on some rock, or getting it all dirty..." She rolled her eyes at some not so distant memory " again."

Huh? She anticipated my request to go to the castle? How did THAT work? Was she able to see into the future? I was so confused.

She stood up and took a deep breath. My own breath caught. She was pretty cute. And dressed like she was, she looked ready for anything. My adventurous spirit welled up and I grinned.

"You ready to go? I've had an early breakfast. Do you need some more water?" She asked as she moved about her room and put things away , moving here and there. She found a backpack and put some apples, a water skin, and some dried meat into it.

"I'm good." I said. "Erm... how are we going to get there?" I asked finally.

She turned towards me in the middle of her preparations and winked at me. "We'll use the wheelchair of course."

Oh. Of course. How else would I get there? Riding on her back? Oh boy. Where was Interface? He'd been silent all morning. No amount of internal yelling or mental gymnastics had gotten a peep out of him. Just a vague sense that he was processing information at a fast pace.

"Let's go!" she said finally, clapping her hands together. I nodded. Bud let out a hearty "Woof" and trotted out the door.

\----

An hour later, Clarissa was panting as she pushed me up the last rocky path to reach the outskirts of the Castle Mir. It was immense! Like everything you might imagine in a fantasy universe castle. A broad, if crumbling wall with towers at each of the four corners, with an inner courtyard filled with loose stones, broken pieces of wood, and various trash from years of campers and potential looters. The forest surrounded the castle on all sides, but it was high up on a broad hill that left the base of the castle high above the tops of the surrounding trees. Inside the outer walls, an immense building with at least ten floors rose up above the stone walls. With one side holding an even taller, thick tower that rose high above the landscape like a lighthouse. The place was so big, it was hard to take in all at once as we were getting so close to the tall outer walls. Bud was seemingly ecstatic to be here. He would run up to us, lean forward as if he were bowing, then take off running again.

We stopped and let Clarissa catch her breath. I still heard nothing from Interface. I was getting concerned. Was he stuck in some endless loop? Was it more information that he could handle? I clutched the blue orb. I was excited and more than a bit fearful. At last I might start to get some answers about who I was. And maybe some way I could find ... the rest of me? Would I be stuck like this forever? A broken toy, Incomplete.

Darkness crept into my thoughts as we neared the castle. Doubts. Fears.

I realized with a start that it must have been Bright that sent Bud to me. With a kind of message in a bottle wrapped around his neck, in the form of a link to her, and this castle.

*Pant* *Pant* "You know, you weigh a ton!" Clarissa sighed as she slumped to the ground under a shady tree close to the castle. She pulled out some of her food from her backpack and took a big drink from her waterskin.

"I'm sorry, Clarissa. I've not been able to access any special functions, because I cannot break Interface out of his processing of my memories. I think I might have broken myself." I said with trepidation. I looked carefully at the immense castle. It was completely abandoned? How could that be? It looked as big as a small city itself. Surely folks who needed a place to stay would move in?

"So, this castle. Why is it completely abandoned? Wouldn't you expect someone to move in after the wizard ... passed away?" I asked

Clarissa gave me a thoughtful look as she chewed on a bit of beef jerky.

"Huh. Yeah. You'd think that would have happened. But, you know, nobody has. After the wizard died, there were lots of looters, but nobody really found anything. There were rumors of great treasure, and fantastic creatures" She squinched up her face and gestured with her arms as she talked. It felt so good to be talking to someone my own age again. Someone who didn't think I was a diseased freak. Well, at least not diseased. Glass half full I guess.

"But, nobody ever found anything. People came and searched the whole castle. Nothing. Just some old furniture, and a few tapestries here and there. "

"Aren't there people who want a place to stay? Like, homeless people?" I asked.

"Home - less people?" Clarissa looked confused.

"You mean like travellers?" she asked.

"No I mean like people who don't have a home. They sleep on the streets. On benches and stuff." I replied.

Clarissa shook her head and smiled.

"People don't sleep on the streets. There are no beds! Plus, they'd freeze, or fall victim to the night creatures..." She tilted her head at me ... kinda like Bright had done.

"Aren't there people who, you know, don't fit in. Like they are mentally ill, or on drugs?" I pulled at some branches near my wheelchair. The birds were singing in the distance. Down the hill we had run into a field of cows. It seemed so idyllic here. A breeze passed through the trees above and filled the air with the whisper of leaves.

"Oh! You mean like the lepers, or madmen. The police do patrols through the city and take people like that to the asylums. There are no ... home - less people in our city. "

I stared at her in wonder. It dawned on me that I truly was in another world, with other ways of culture and politics. Problems of my world, just wouldn't exist here. But I'm sure there were others.

As Clarissa finished up her afternoon snack, we proceeded closer to the castle. Memories teased across the edge of my consciousness. I had been here before. But how could that be? Maybe I was tapping into someone or something else's memories? Like how Interface was rifling through my own?

Speak of the devil.

As we reached the place inside the castle where they had found me, I saw the gaping hole in the side of the building. It looked like something out of a war zone. Rocks were strewn everywhere. It was a wonder the building had not collapsed in this part of the building. The hole was big enough to drive a truck through. Bud barked once.

*Warning! Hostile entities detected!*

"Interface! You are back!" I exclaimed. Clarissa jumped as I yelled. She seemed very nervous.

*Aegis, I was never gone. I've had to pause my acquisition of your memories due to a priority override. Your friend is in extreme danger. Hostile entities are approaching from the west. *

"Look, Interface, don't ever do that again. Disappear like that. Clarissa! My Interface is back and he says there are bad guys approaching."

She let out a muffled "yeep" and in a quick motion had two daggers in her hands.

Where did THAT come from? Clarissa, the person that I had created stereotypes of some passive helpless girl, was rapidly changing in my eyes. This was not some scared helpless girl. She was holding those daggers with could only be described as practiced ease.

"Where? What direction?" She crouched down next to my wheelchair. Bud stood next to us and whimpered softly.

"West" I whispered.

Whatever I had for a heart began to beat rapidly in my chest. Gone was the swagger, the confidence. Someone had died because I had been overconfident. Never, EVER again.

We were partially exposed as we had been walking in an alleyway between one building and the damaged one. Thinking quickly, Clarissa wheeled me into the ruined building.

'Listen, Interface. You need to help me out. What's coming? How can I protect Clarissa?' I thought in my head.

*This is not good. Three hostile entities growing closer. Detecting weapons and light armor. Based on past analysis hostiles appear to be -*

Before he could finish, three creatures stepped around the building. They had green skin, with large bulging eyes and fangs protruding from their oversized mouths. Each one carried a wicked looking saber. They wore some kind of disgusting looking leather armor, and mismatched helmets. They gibbered and growled like horrible oversized children from some kind of horror film. I immediately recognized them ... they were in every RPG I'd ever played.

Goblins!


	10. Chapter 10

*Goblins* the Interface finished.

Thinking fast, I sifted through my options like a madman tearing pages out of a book.

Fight. Flee. Negotiate ... Nothing seemed right.

I looked down at my hand ... I was so handicapped by my lack of legs, an arm. ... WAIT a MINUTE.

I looked at Clarissa, who while shaking with fear, was still crouched by my side with her knives at the ready. Perfect!

"Listen, Clarissa." I whispered "I have an idea. I'm not sure if it'll work, but just ... play along, ok?"

Wide eyed, she nodded.

Bud began to growl.

The Goblins were coming closer.

'Interface, you know this magic that's making me look human. Can it make me look like anything else?'

*Processing. Affirmative. Within reason we can change colors, tones, hair, eyes. But this doesn't seem like the time to be concerned about your appearance ... *

I smiled. 'This is precisely the time. Can you make me look like a Goblin? Ears, eyes, black greasy hair. Big toothy mouth?'

*... I'm beginning to get your 'gist' I guess you would say. I've processed approximately 65% of your childhood memories. Is this a ... sam?*

'Scam... Yes! Do it!'

"Listen, Clarissa, when I give the word, start yelling and stabbing me with those knives. Okay?"

She shot me a puzzled look. "Wha-"

At that moment I became a Goblin. "Ahhh!" She cried. Then recognition flooded her face.

"ARrrrh!! Take that you filthy Goblin!" She began pounding my chest -- turning the knives at the last second.

Bud began barking up a storm. I think he kinda understood what was going on.

The Goblins appeared at the entrance of the room - eyes wide, with spears at the ready.

"Whuuuhh?" One of them said.

"Ahh! Brothers! Flee! We're under attack! Run!" Bud growled and rushed at the Goblins.

"She's chopped off my arm! My legs are gone! Augughghh! Run you fools!" I screamed.

I fell out of the chair, and somehow Interface took the initiative and covered my green skin with a shiny reddish hue.

Clarissa snarled and bunched up her face - brandishing her knives like some sort of mad woman. 

Two of the Goblins turned and ran. The third ... I could see water trickling down his leg. He was frozen in fear.

Desperate, I screamed one last time -- raising my voice to an almost painful volume.

That shook the last Goblin out of his trance and he looked down at me. My eyes were filled with blood and black oil spurted from my left shoulder.

'Nice touch' I thought to Interface.

*These things you've watched. Moo - vies. They are quite a source for violent imagery* Interface replied dryly.

The Goblin screamed, dropped his sword, and ran in the same direction as the first two.

In moments, it was all over. Clarissa fell to the ground, on her knees and wheezed. Bud barked a few more times and ran back to me, licking my face and whining. My face turned pink again and I became blood - and oil - free.

"I can't - " Clarissa panted "I can't believe that worked! I thought we were goners! How... how did you do that?" She rushed over and helped me back into my chair.

"I guess the magic that makes me look human can make me look ... other?" I smiled up at her. Her face was flushed, her eyes wide and her hair was unkempt. She looked beautiful. I shook myself internally. Gotta stay focused.

Suddenly self conscious, Clarissa turned away and ran her hands through her hair. Her knives were gone. Where did she keep them?

*Aegis. I am detecting something metal approximately 5 meters east. Density and shape suggest it might be mechanical in nature. *

I caught my breath. ( Did I breathe? I guess I did ... in order to intake moisture and oxygen for chemical combustion processes ) .

"Clarissa!" I said - excitement in my voice.

She turned back - suddenly cautious again.

"What is it? Are the goblins returning?" she breathed.

"No, at least not that I know of - "

*The creatures have moved outside of my range of detection.* Interface volunteered.

"My Interface says they are gone, for now. No this is something else. Somehow there's something else metal nearby. Interface says it might be mechanical" I grinned. "Maybe there's more of me around here!"

Clarissa smirked and put her hands on her hips - eyebrows arched.

"There's plenty of you here already. Don't get to cocky. I don't think they will be fooled a second time"

"You're right. All the more reason for us to look. Will you help me?" I tried to put a pleading note in my voice.

She made a big deal out of looking at the ceiling as she held one hand over her chin and the other under her arm in an exaggerated pondering motion.

Then she laughed, "Of course! I've been trying to find something interesting here for years. But... how could it still be here? This place has been picked over so many times..."

"I don't know, let's go see." my eyebrows danced. She stuck out her tongue.

We walked further in to the ruined room. Broken stone was everywhere. Bits of ruined furniture. Pieces of shattered shelving. A bowl. At the far end of the room it was relatively dark. A huge pillar of stone had fallen over, pressing deep into the stone below it.

*My readings detect a strong signal, Aegis. It appears to be your other half alright.* Even Interface sounded excited.

*I am establishing communications protocols*

"What does that mean?" I asked out loud.

Clarissa threw me a puzzled look.

"My legs. They are under this pillar." I gestured weakly at the stone column.

"Oh that's great. How are we supposed to move THAT?" She walked over to the column and sat down. She patted the stone.

"Seems pretty immova -- ack!" Startled by a sudden movement, she leapt off the column. There was a rumbling.

The pillar was moving! Very slightly, The sounds of rocks crumbling, and a high pitched whine was starting to sound in our ears. Steam began to escape from the widening gap between the floor and the huge column.

"Get back!" I cried and pulled Clarissa back toward me. She stumbled and fell into my lap. Or well, what would have been my lap. She smelled .. like cinnamon and burnt wood chips. I guess I could smell now too.

"What - what's going on?" She cried, and tried to pull herself up.

Bud barked furiously.

The blue stone on my chest began to glow. Clarissa pulled herself away in awe.

The stone pillar rocked back and forth, slowly at first, then building more momentum with each cycle. Then, there was a huge CRACK! And it rolled backwards away from us. Dust filled the room. Coughing, Clarissa waved the air.

As the dust settled, I looked at what stood before me, and my jaw dropped. Shaking, quivering with exertion, stood ... my legs. And , thank god. My butt.

*Connection established.* Interface said, almost smugly.

I rolled up to the legs and looked them over. They had the same kind of odd runic markings all over. Parts of them glowed in places, near the joints, through the broken top half. I winced. It looked like something had ripped me in two. I'm glad the part under the pillar had been my lower half, or I'd probably be just a pile of junk now.

"What do we do now? Can you rejoin with your ... legs?" Clarissa asked as she walked around my lower half. Did she actually look at my backside? I blushed.

*Warning! Mana levels at 10%. Unable to initiate repair protocols. Camouflage system failing. Aegis, between your subterfuge with the goblins and the power exertion to escape the pillar, your Mana is very low. Recommend you seek out the source of Mana from the orb you possess.* Interface sounded ... tired.

My skin tone blinked once then faded. I now looked just like my other half. Metallic, glowing, and covered in runes. I looked to Clarissa.

"Um, I have to tell you something. The ... magic that will help me is running out."

"Running out? That's really bad isn't it? How do you get it back?" She asked. Bud nuzzled her hand with his cold nose and she petted him absently.

"Well, you see" I started. How was I going to do this? How can I tell her about Bright?

"Waitaminute ... there WAS someone else you were talking to last night... wasn't there? " She was getting angry.

"Well, yes and ... no" I managed.

"You see, I have this Interface in my head for the mechanical side of me. And it seems there's another for the ... magical side."

Clarissa crossed her arms. She kicked at a rock with a boot. "Go on"

"She told me to come here, to recharge this orb thing." I started.

Clarissa cut me off "So that's why - wait you said she?"

"Yeah. It's in the form of a girl. Her name is Bright"

Clarissa rolled her eyes "Oh. So some girl appeared to you in a dream and told you to come to the castle. And you believed her."

My legs shifted weight nervously. How were they doing that?

"Well.yeah! I mean she did give me this necklace. And the magic. The Mana I have is from this..." I held out the orb.

"What if this is a trap? What if - whatever killed wizard Ken is out for YOU now?" She was practically shaking with anger.

"Hol - hold up Clarissa!" I held up my hand, as if to stave off her assault.

"I trust her. She sent me Bud and this necklace. Why help me only to hurt me here?"

She stared at me and shifted her weight to her other leg. Her arms were still crossed. "Is she pretty?" She asked quietly.

"Huh?" I stammered.

"Is. She. Pretty " she bit out each word.

"Well, yeah I guess" I could not believe my ears. Was Clarissa ... jealous?

She rolled her eyes and tossed her arms up, walking back towards the opening in the wall.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your quest..." she started.

"Wait! Clarissa!" I wheeled towards her and grabbed her elbow.

She looked down at my hand. I let go with a snap like I'd been bitten by a snake.

"Sorry. Clarissa. I ... I need you. I've only been in this world for a couple of days, and you're the only friend I've got. Even your dad's probably thinking about how to get rid of me."

She looked out at the opening in the wall. I could almost see the gears turning in her head.

"If this is a ... trap ... like you say. Then I could sure use a friend to help me find a way to escape. You seem pretty handy with those knives..." My words trailed off.

Her expression softened.

"Well, if you put it that - "

There was a scream that cut the air outside the castle. Another echoed across the courtyard.

Goblins!

Clarissa and I exchanged a worried glance.

"Let's go" we both said. Clarissa looked down and quirked a smile for a brief instant. The blades were in her hands once again.

"How do you do that?" I asked as we made our way back to the inner wall.

She gave me a sidelong glance. "Maybe it's magic." she smiled worriedly.

'Interface, any idea where I'm going?' I asked inwardly.

*Affirmative. Proceed out the nearest exit. Turn right and continue until you reach a dead end.*

"Dead end? That doesn't sound good." I said out loud.

"What?" Clarissa asked.

"Interface wants us to go out this door and down the hall to the right."

"There's nothing there. Just some old pots and junk" Clarissa answered. She spun the knives in her hands with nervous energy.

'Um, how will?' I started to ask Interface. At that moment, my legs began to move - jerkily and twice almost falling before following us out the door.

*I am able to interface with our lower appendages. Gross movement is possible by triggering instinctual walking routines. Don't expect them to moonwalk however.*

'How did - oh. You HAVE been scanning my memories!'

*Affirmative . Wil Robinson.* Interface somehow changed his internal voice to sound like a robot from an old TV show I watched as a child.

I grinned. We made our way down the hallway.

Another screech. This one MUCH closer. They were in the castle!

I looked at Clarissa in panic and rolled to the end of the hallway.

"What now?" She cried.

Suddenly, at the far end of the hallway appeared two Goblins. They were much fiercer looking than the three we had seen before. They spotted us immediately and yelled bloody murder as they began to race down the hallway.

"Come on!" Clarissa yelled. "What now?"

'Um Interface, what do we do?' I yelled in my head.

*Aegis. Hold the necklace up to the wall. When you see a glimmer, press the panel*

Frantically, I rolled up to the wall and held the mana orb up. I spotted a glimmer higher up than I could reach.

"Clarissa! Help! Press the wall there!" I pointed to a brick that was slightly darker than the rest.

She leapt over me like a gymnast and smacked the wall with her hand.

"Ow!" I heard something crack in her wrist. Oh no. She bent over, holding her hand, her pretty face was constricted in pain.

My legs wobbled up closer to me. The Goblins were almost upon us. I suddenly felt very strange. Giddy. The air around us was whooshing upward. Clarissa's hair was flying up as if we were falling. Light sparkles appeared all around us. I watched in horror as the Goblins let loose their spears at us as they gibbered in fury.

Then suddenly, the world exploded in light and we were no more.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ow."

My vision cleared. We were NOT standing where we had been before. And luckily there were no Goblin spears in me or Clarissa.

Clarissa!

I wheeled over to her. She was bent over in pain, holding her wrist. It was already swelling.

"Hey, are you ok? I heard the crack. You are amazing you know? You saved us." I said soothingly.

She jerked her head towards me. There were tears in her eyes, and she was biting her lip.

"I didn't do ... this." She looked outward from the place we were standing. Her jaw dropped.

*Aegis. Proceed forward along the marked path until you reach the bridge. *

I looked around us. The air was cold, and somewhat clammy, like being in a cave. Though this was no cave. The floor beneath us was weathered stone, with a slight moist gloss to it. The floor was perfectly flat, and stretched off in every direction as far as we could see. There was some kind of marking on the floor, like a pattern, leading off in one direction. Every thirty feet or so, an immense pillar rose from the ground - easily ten feet in diameter, made of some kind of smooth stone that glowed with a warm ambient light. Each pillar was glowing a slightly different color and I had the impression of a stone forest of glow sticks for a giant rave.

As we watched, the colors slowly changed ... red to blue to green to yellow ... each one seemingly on its own cycle and sequence. They stretched high to a vaulted ceiling. I got a bit dizzy staring upwards, but something strange caught my eye.

"Look. Up there!" I said to Clarissa. Tiny lights were moving quickly in all directions up near the ceiling, like fireflies - only the lights didn't go out.

Bud sat peacefully, as if waiting for us to move.

I felt very small. Insignificant, like I used to feel in church when we would go to the huge catholic churches - when my dad felt like we had not had enough "religion" in our lives. Our voices felt strangely muffled. I turned to Clarissa. She was still hunched over, grasping her wrist.

What - I thought to myself - was I doing here? I'm just this kid. This nobody who's most likely dying out in the "real" world. And here I am going on this grand adventure without so much as a thought to what I was doing. Just careeming from thing to thing like I was playing a video game. Was this a game? What if it was real? It seems so real. I looked down at my arm. Lights played along the surface in small ways. I could see a wire here and there. Feel a servo pull as I moved my elbow. I thought about that man that died. About Clarissa standing there hurt because of me.

I clenched my fist.

Regardless of whether or not this world was "real", it was "real" to those people. Fantasy world, simulation, or drug induced hallucination, it didn't matter any more. I was going to help these people, and be true to myself. If I died in some vat of salt water somewhere, it would at least be with me knowing I did my best in the place I had been sent. Who knows? Maybe if I helped in this world, it might make a difference for me in my own. But then I realized that was selfish. I was going to do my best here, regardless of my own life. In a way, I was already dead. What did it matter anymore. I was basically a ghost in a toy robot here.

But I could be more than that.

Gritting my teeth, I rolled up closer to Clarissa.

"Wait a minute. Can you hand me your backpack?" I asked

"What? Ow!" she awkwardly rolled her shoulder and the backpack strap hit her wrist on the way down. It clunked to the ground. She gave me a pained look.

"Sorry. Just a second." I replied.

I opened her backpack with a bit of a struggle with one hand. Inside I saw rations, more knives (wow, she really likes knives I guess) and the thing I was looking for - a simple first aid kit. It was basically a bag with some wraps, a bottle of something that looked like iodine, and some small scissors.

I pulled them out and gestured to her wrist. She stared at me like I was some kind of ghost.

"What? Let's get your wrist wrapped. " I asked and soundlessly she extended her hand.

Well, wrapping a wrist one handed would have been incredibly awkward. But Clarissa understood what I was doing and we handed the cloth back and forth as we wrapped her wrist together. Tears were in her eyes, but she bit her lip and endured the pain. It was strange to be so close to another person after all this time. In the hospital, nurses were friendly but always kept a distance. Other patients were living their own personal troubles, and no one was interested in talking with a shy teenager. She kept looking up at me - into my eyes and I wondered if I was breaking some kind of social norms here in this world.

"There" I said.

Our work was clumsy and looked like a zombie had tried to put his hand in a clothes washing machine, but it immobilized her wrist.

Clarissa wiggled her fingers. Wincing a little.

"It ... feels better, a little. " She looked up at me.

"My mom would do things like this for me. I was always climbing trees, and falling out of them as a kid. I had more bruises, cuts, and sprains than any 5 year old should have. She was always kind to me... " She looked down at her wrist. "Like this."

If I had my camouflage back I probably would have blushed.

"I know this probably seems super weird and sudden. You find this crazy golem kid and now we're teleported to some stone forest in God knows where, and I managed to get you hurt trying to help me. I'm -- I'm sorry for pulling you into this. I don't want you to think I'm taking this for granted. I should have asked you if you wanted to do this at all." I looked down at the floor.

Bud looked at me and waged his tail.

She crouched down and looked me in the eyes. She quirked a smile, despite her pain. "Are you kidding me? This is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me. I'm not a big fan of dying or anything, but I've never experienced anything like this! "

She turned serious.

"But... I want you to promise me something. Whatever is ... out there" She gestured in the way we were going to proceed, "That you'll not suddenly forget I'm here. You're some kind of super special magical creature. As soon as you find someone else like you ..." She looked down at the floor.

"Not a chance. I owe you too much. You saved me remember? It'd be ... dead by now if you hadn't found me"

Her eyes widened.

"Dead? But you're a ..."

"My Interface said that my energy was so low, that if I had not gotten some water to recharge when I did, I would have been dead within hours."

She smiled and gave me a sly look.

"Well then, Mr. Aegis. " She stood up.

"This means you are now part of my guild. Under me. "

"Uh. Um. Okay. What's a guild?" I asked, rubbing the back of my head in confusion.

She looked over her shoulder playfully as she began walking down the stone pathway. "You'll see."

While one hand was wrapped now, the other still held her dagger. I looked at the way she walked. It was almost catlike. I blinked and shook my head. Could golems have feelings? I suddenly felt in over my head in so many ways. I looked at my legs.

"Come on, legs, we have a Bright future ahead of us!"

Awkwardly, they jerked to motion and followed us as we traveled across the Rave Tree forest.


	12. Chapter 12

Why is it in games, the boring parts are always glossed over, but in real life, you don't get to do that? We walked. A LONG time. Bud would race ahead and stop and wait for us. I knew he probably could have gotten there in ten minutes if we had kept his pace. As it was, we walked over an hour. Nothing but a strange path, glowing pillars of stone, and the clunk clunk of my lower half working tirelessly to not fall over as it stumbled along. It was so unreal to be watching what should have been a part of me, working on it's own. It just reinforced the knowledge that I was no longer a human. And that whomever had made this body, was some kind of magical / mechanical genius. Clarissa and I made small talk. I asked her about her life in the town. She talked about her dad, about the store, and whenever I brought up the "guild" she gave me an enigmatic smile and changed the subject. She asked me about what it was like to be a golem. I did my best to describe how it felt. It wasn't much different than life before. I realized I had been in constant, low-key pain since I had awoken. Interface was suppressing those feelings otherwise I would probably still be writhing on the floor in pain.

*Mana is down to 1%. I will no longer be able to drive your lower extremities if we do not reach the Mana source soon, Aegis.*

"How much longer?" I asked.

*We are reaching the bridge now.* Interface answered.

Oh. Man.

We had reached the end of the Rave Tree forest, but not the end of this huge room. It must go on for miles. Stretching off beyond our power to see, the pillars continued to the left and right, but in front of us the world grew dark. Except for those firefly things that buzzed around way up near the ceiling ... the sheer scale of everything just felt so oppressive.

"Gee, we really aren't in Kansas anymore" I whispered.

Clarissa glanced back at me sharply. She had a "what did you say?" look on her face.

Before us the path continued to what looked like a huge iron gate. Beyond the gate was a bridge that arc'd sharply upward and disappeared into the darkness. That wouldn't have been so bad, but right at the edge of the gate, the floor ... stopped. In the waning light from the columns we could see that the floor dropped off into nothingness. It was like a moat of darkness.

And the gate was the only way across.

"Where are we?" Clarissa wondered.

"You are under Castle Kendranen." A deep, baritone voice intoned.

We both jumped.

What was THAT?

A shape appeared to the right of the iron gate. Apparently on either side of the gate was a column of that same odd stone, only these did not glow. An opening had appeared, and a huge figure stepped forward.

In the dim light I could make out the shape of what might be a man, if he were ten feet tall, covered in spiky armor, and had glowing yellow eyes within a brassy helm. I took a step back.

Bud barked twice and jumped around the armored figure like it was an old friend. With a great squeaking of metal, the figure reached down slowly and patted the dog. It was huge.

*Aegis, shall I adjust your vision for the dim light? I can enhance your perceptions.*

"Um yeah, go ahead." I whispered.

Clarissa walked closer to me. She put her hand on my shoulder. I could see the bandaged hand shaking in fear.

Suddenly, it was like someone had turned on the lights. I could see the figure in perfect clarity and I gasped. Imagine if you took an old steam train, with pipes, valves, gears and brass fittings and somehow merged that with a classic fairy tale knight in shining armor. Except, this knight had no face. And glowing eyes. And we could hear the sounds of gears grinding, with occasional jets of steam spurting from a joint or a valve here and there. It was literally a steam engine in human form.

Oh, and it had a huge brass sword that looked like it could slice a car in two with one swipe.

This was to say the least very scary. 

For both of us.

"Hello! Sir Knight! My name is Aegis. I was sent here by Bright. Um ... Er... Is she home?"

Gah! What an idiot! Should I ask him out for some tea as well?

"The person you seek is here." It said. 

It's voice was so deep I felt I was talking to a mountain or something. A mountain of deadly brass, it seemed. The brassy knight took a step forward, went into a resting stance with his feet wider, and planted his sword in the ground while placing both hands on the pommel. The rock cracked under the force of its blow and the sword sank down an inch into the stony floor.

Clarissa gulped visibly.

"Um, maybe we should go, Aegis. I don't think we are welcome here." she turned to leave.

"On the contrary. You are expected." The brass knight intoned.

Clarissa froze in her tracks - in mid step. I was almost comical had I not been terrified within an inch of my life.

Just then a light appeared at the top of the bridge. A blue light was coming over the bridge and was running toward us.

"Hiii!! Hiii! I'm so glad you got here! Aegis!!" The figure , with my adjusted eyesight, was Bright! Only she wasn't glowing. A blue light shone above her head as she raced towards the gate. She reached it in seconds and started waving and jumping up and down like a fan girl at a boy band concert.

"Hii!! Hii!" She cried.

I looked at Clarissa and shrugged sheepishly. She shot me a suspicious look.

"Open the gate Argent! C'mon. Move your rusty butt!" she said laughingly.

"I am made of brass. I do not ... rust." It said.

Argent was its name apparently.

She kept jumping up and down like an urgent puppy waiting to get out the door for a walk. I smiled despite myself, and Clarissa frowned. The knight Argent stepped heavily over to the gate and pulled a hidden lever. The gate screamed as metal rang on metal and Clarissa put her hands to her ears involuntarily - she hurt her wrist again and she cried out in pain.

Bright was on us like a bolt of lightning.

She was dressed in the same light sun dress. It was shoulder-less, with two straps. Her hair was the same short explosion, although it lie cutely about her neck instead of drifting around in the air as before. She looked very human, and ... very cute.

"Ohh Clarissa! You're hurt!" She ran up to Clarissa and cupped her wrist with her hands. Clarissa pulled her hand away in anger.

"Whoa there? Who are you? What are you doing?" Clarissa said, frowning. But she had hurt her wrist again in the motion and said "Ow!!!"

"Clarissa dear. I'm Bright. I'm Aegis' Mana in-ter-face. Didn't he tell you about me?" She looked at me with innocent confusion.

Oh boy.

"Yes, he said you told him that. But how are we supposed to believe you? Maybe you're the one who killed wizard Ken and you're out to get him too!" Clarissa looked down at her dagger.

Bright looked stricken. She took a step back and put a hand to her chest. A tear fell from her eye.

"Do YOU believe that, Aegis? Do YOU think I would do something like that?" Her bottom lip was starting to quiver. My heart was breaking.

"No no no!" I cried.

"Clarissa's just being cautious. I mean someone did try to destroy me - " OOPS. I shouldn't have said that.

"WHAT? How could you - ?" Clarissa's face grew red.

"STOP!" A deep voice intoned.

"Yeeep!" Clarissa cried. I almost laughed, it was so ... cute.

"Bright is the master of this castle. I am her servant. You will listen to her words." And that was that. Clarissa took another step back as Argent turned and pointed to her with his sword.

"Oh, put down your stick, Argent. Don't terrify the girl. " Bright brought her hands together in fists over her chest and her feet bounced up and down in excitement.

"If you'll allow me..." She said, looking at Clarissa expectantly.

Dumbly, Clarissa nodded.

Bright bounced up again and brought her hands to Clarissa's broken wrist. A blue glow began to appear inside her cupped hands, around Clarissa's wrist.

Crack!

Clarissa screamed and jumped back into a low fighting stance. She flicked her wrists and twin daggers appeared.

"Hey, hold on Clarissa, look at your wrist!" I cried.

Bright looked at Clarissa with wide, expectant eyes. She crossed her arms across her chest and pressed her chin to her hands.

"Did I fix it?" She said, her voice was full of quiet hope.

Clarissa looked at her wrapped wrist. She rolled it around while still holding the dagger.

"Huh." She said, and stood upright.

"It doesn't hurt. What did you do?" She made a quick motion and her daggers disappeared.

Bright smiled with a wide open mouth and her eyes danced. She leaned forward and wiggled her fingers in the air like a stage magician.

"Magic!"

"Oh. Well thanks. " Clarissa seemed mollified.

Bright looked at me and then at my legs. Her eyes got even wider and she bounced in place again. She was so full of energy, I couldn't help but grin.

"You found them! And you found me! I've missed you so much!" She bound toward me and gave me a big hug. I looked over her shoulder at Clarissa, who looked hurt. She turned away and looked down.

Bright put her arms on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. She had a huge smile and dancing eyes. I was entranced.

"Aegis, we gotta get you patched up. This is what Kenny wanted me to do. I'm getting to fulfill my purpose! I'm so excited! Do you know how dreadfully bored I've been down here? I've been organizing the Archives till my eyes bled. I've been scanning for any sign of you for years. I'm so excited!" She seems almost ... manic.

"I'm glad" I managed.

Bright held her face toward me but slowly turned her eyes to Clarissa. She winked at me. In a burst of energy she danced over to the startled girl and threw her arms around her in an exuberant hug. I was kinda jealous.

"Yeep! What-" Clarissa stood helplessly with her arms outstretched at odd angles with a girl about her same size hugging her tightly.

"Thank you Clarissa. For saving my Aegis. And for bringing him here to me. Can we be... friends? Is that the word? Friends? " Bright let go and Clarissa gasped slightly for air.

I smiled thinking that I had been wrong to think that the huge knight with the giant sword was the challenge. It was instead a super bouncy girl with incredible magic power.

Clarissa looked at me, and back to Bright. Bright bobbed up and down like a happy puppy and her eyebrows waggled.

"Well?"

Clarissa sighed. "Okay. I guess. Does it mean that much to you?"

"Oh yes. I do love friends. But I don't like enemies." Her face grew hard for the briefest of moments. Her eyes had gone from deep blue to slate grey.

Then she smiled and bounced again, clapping her hands with joy.

"This is so great! Let's go see my room!" She turned to go back through the gate.

*Aegis, Mana levels at 0%. I am unable to maintain control of your legs.* Interface said urgently.

At that moment, my legs collapsed and fell to the stone floor with a muffled clang.

"Oh, now. That won't do. Not at all" Bright spun about and skipped over to me, her dress flaring for a moment. The sight of her legs, not even above the knee, sent a thrill through me. Egad, this was probably not going to end well for me.

Bright kneeled before me gracefully and reached out to my chest.

"Wha?" I said dumbly.

She held the blue orb of my necklace in her hand and kissed it gently. Oh man.

The blue orb flared to light - illuminating the whole area in soft blue light. Clarissa gasped. Bright looked up at me shyly and bit her lip.

*Mana levels at 100% Thank you, Bright.* Interface spoke.

"You're welcome 'bot" Bright said.

"Hey! You - you can hear Interface?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course I can. I AM a part of you as well, silly. " She hopped up and started skipping to the gate. She leaped impossibly high for someone her size and kissed Argent on what would have been his cheek. She paused at the gate. Argent's hand came up and touched its cheek. It looked bemused.

"Well? Coming? I have SO much to show you." Bright said with barely suppressed excitement.

Clarissa put her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah Aegis. Ready to go see the girl's room? I'm sure it's full of amazing things." She said sarcastically.

I gulped.


	13. Chapter 13

As Bright skipped along the bridge, humming to herself, I rolled up to Clarissa.

"Hey, you ok?" I asked. My wheelchair had developed a squeak as we had traveled so far with it. Clarissa looked at the chair. I could tell many emotions were competing for her thoughts.

"Yeah. Sure. Your friend Bright is quite a girl." She remarked, running her hand along the rail. The bridge was fully enclosed in a cage like fence, even on the top. There were lights under the railing but that only accentuated the feeling that beyond the darkness was ... something.

Clarissa gave me a look then turned to Bright.

"Miss Bright!" She called.

Bright looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"Yes, 'issa?"

I winced. I wondered how much of an earful I would get later for all this. Or maybe the silent treatment?

Clarissa didn't bat an eye.

"Why this cage around the bridge? Is it to keep people from falling?"

Bright made a moue with her lips and shook her head vigorously.

"Oh no. It's to keep the Eaters out."

Clarissa and I exchanged glances.

"Eaters? What are they? Some kind of bird?" Clarissa asked .

Bright looked up and placed a finger on her cheek as if lost in thought for a moment.

"Do you have any food? Like some bread, or jerky?" She asked.

"Oh sure." Clarissa rolled her shoulder and dropped her pack. A bit of meat was in her hand in a heartbeat.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

Bright giggled.

"Oh no no. It's not for me. I don't eat people food. It's for the Eaters. Put it outside the fence a little. Watch your hands! They are bitey!'

Clarissa held the strip of jerky outside the fence a few inches. With absolutely no warning a creature the size of an alligator smacked into the fence, bit into the jerky, and disappeared into the darkness.

"Yeeeeep!" Clarissa cried, flinging herself backward.

It had looked like a mouth, with claws and wings, and teeth. Lots of teeth.

Bright chuckled. Then gave us a wide eyed innocent look.

"Eaters" she said finally and turned to continue skipping down the pathway.

\------

We reached the end of the bridge, and walked into an opening on a sheer cliff face. There was no ledge on this side of the bridge, it just connected directly to the stony wall and in to a short hallway. There were flame-less torches on the rough stone walls, set in evenly spaced sconces. The air was noticeably colder here, as the temperature had dropped once we started walking on the bridge.

Bright gave us a big smile as she looked over her shoulder. Her pert nose and short hair gave her a distinctly elfin appearance that I hadn't put together before. Her excitement seemed barely contained as she pulled out a huge key from ... somewhere ... and pressed it into the lock on a heavy metal studded oaken door at the end of the hall.

"I'm so excited. I've NEVER had guests before. I'm so glad I tidied up before you came." Bright said wistfully.

As she pushed the door open into the next room my jaw dropped. Up till now, we had seen wonders, and architecture that seemed built for giants ... on acid. But this next room took all that to another level. Clarissa and I entered the huge circular room and took in all the features like two kids gauping at a county fair for the first time.

Picture a huge room - completely half-spherical --- dome-like -- filled to the ceiling with ... shelves full of oddly shaped bottles, books strewn all over, glowing gems that floated in bell jars, hanging herbs, a mad assortment of items like a cross between a witches herb room and Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory. There were devices lying everywhere - mostly brass or iron and brass - some glowing, other quiescent, while still others hummed or made other electronic sounds.

While all this was overwhelming, it paled in comparison to the immense structure in the middle of the room. Imagine a gated circular pool full of blue glowing fluid with a singular bridge that let to a pillar of rapidly spinning and churning blue light. It was as if you forced a giant waterfall into a barrel wide pillar of light . I was reminded of something like the Warp Drive in Star Trek meets the inner room of a T.A.R.D.I.S. from a show called Doctor Who.

The sounds were quiet, but almost overwhelming in their diversity. Beeps and whooshes and hisses from steam escaping. The smell was akin to motor oil meets vanilla cream. There were also other doors set at regular intervals around the room - each one giving off a different color of eerie light.

Bright danced around the room - flitting from object to object as she sought to show us everything she had collected or created. It was like meeting a 5 year old for a sleepover and having her show you all her toys, books, and clothes.

"So this is a spatial capacitor, and this is concentrated fairy dust, and this is a book on parallel univ - "

"Enough!" Clarissa cried out. She was holding her head in her hands over her ears. She looked overwhelmed to the degree that I thought she might actually pass out.

Bright gave Clarissa a hurt look, but spun to me and smiled.

"So, Aegis. What do you think? Like it?" She blinked at me with wide expectant eyes.

"It's all so overwhelming. Did you do all this?" I gestured at ... everything. She nodded.

"And what is this thing in the middle? It's so , vibrant." Clarissa asked. The light from the pillar of energy played off her eyes, making her look starstruck.

"Oh, that's an easy one. That's ... " she paused for dramatic effect and raised her hands - once again like the stage magician " ... me!"

"What? I don't understand, Bright. Aren't you ... you?" I gestured to her bouncy figure.

She chuckled.

"No, silly. This is just a .... What did Kenny call it ? A pro-jeck-shun. Projection! That's it! He always had the right words. I'm basically pure Mana. But it would be pretty boring just flowing around the castle like some mindless light beams, right?" She smirked. Clarissa looked a bit .. ill.

"You, you're pure Mana? How is that even possible?" Clarissa managed.

"Simple! Kenny made me. Just like he made Aegis. " She acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Anyway .. " She clapped her hands and suddenly she looked different. Instead of a sun dress, short curls, and bare feet, she was dressed in a white lab coat over a dark bodysuit. She had large goggles on her forehead and white gloves. She was the epitome of a Mad Scientist. I expected her to start laughing evilly while holding up her hands in triumph.

"Let's get down to business. Aegis. Kenny knew that you would get into scrapes, and possibly major damage. I was schooled on every aspect of your body." Her eyebrows bounced under the goggles. I blushed.

"So you can fix him?" Clarissa managed to say between gritted teeth.

"Oh 'issa. I can do more than just fix him. I can make him better!" She clapped her hands -- which was somewhat muffled by the gloves -- and bounced slightly on the balls of her feet.

Fix me? A thrill of electricity seemed to arc down my spine. I could walk again? How I had taken that for granted before I was pulled into this world. I had taken a lot of things for granted, it seemed. The very thought that I could be made whole --- or at least 'more whole' since my arm was still missing filled me with joy.

"I've been learning a lot about magic, science, spirits, and other things I can't mention in mixed company" she winked at me. Clarissa dropped her arms to her sides - her hands in fists.

"You know, maybe I should just leave. You have a back door to this place? I'll risk the goblins eating me ... I guess." Clarissa was seething.

"Please don't go, 'issa. I've been so terribly lonely here. Just with Argent and Boris, and the stuffy old Archive. I've never had a real friend before. " Bright walked over and touched Clarissa's hand.

Clarissa looked at Bright, then at me. She sighed.

"Plus, I'll need you if we want to make Aegis whole again." Bright gave a hesitant smile.

Clarissa was surprised.

"Need me? What for?"

"Weeelll. You see, I need to go back into the Source. That's what Kenny called the big shiny column thingy there. And Aegis will have to enter it as well. That will leave nobody here to run the controls. " 

Bright took Clarissa's hands and swayed them gently.

"Pleassse? Without you - Aegis would burn up like a little bit of charcoal in my Source. He needs to be dipped in for just a few minutes, and then POP! Out he comes good as new."

Clarissa looked at me. Several emotions passed through her face. "Well, Aegis. Do you trust me? What if I just walk off while you two are .... Sourcing? "

I rolled up to Clarissa.

"Look, I know you barely know me. And you have no reason to risk anything being here. I've already imposed on you so much. But... I have a chance to be whole again. I'm sorry I didn't mention the attack. I only remember a few seconds. Someone very evil did their best to destroy me. And they had ... glowing eyes."

"Oh man" Clarissa replied.

"Just like whoever killed the Wizard Ken? Wow." She paced back and forth.

*Aegis, I caution you about trusting this human. If she does not complete the process and eject you on time, Bright's energy will burn you out like a ... broken light bulb? Is that right?*

"I get it, Interface."

"Well, you ARE part of my guild, Aegis. And you will have to do as I say after this .... Girl fixes you. You will owe me big time. And I'll expect a payback. " She managed, she looked down at her fingernails, as if they needed tending to.

"I'll do whatever you want. As long as it's not .. you know ... killing someone" I answered.

Clarissa looked stricken.

"Geeze, Aegis. What kind of girl do you think I am?" She replied.

"Oh! Oh! I know this one!" Bright said as she held her arm up excitedly.

"You're a junior member of the thieves guild. And you've been doing jobs behind your father's back for the past two years as a way to escape your fate as a shopkeeper?" Bright said enthusiastically.

"Did I get that right?" She added.

Clarissa took a step back and placed her hand on her heart as if stricken by the words Bright had said.

I arched and eyebrow.

"Is this true Clarissa? That explains a lot." I said

She stood up straight, chin jutted out and arms to her sides, in fists, defiant.

"Well, what if it is? You going to go lock me up now? You don't know what it's like living a boring life day in day out, sitting in a shop, waiting for customers that either never come, or come asking for absurdly stupid things. I would go mad if I stayed with my father."

"No no. I think that's really cool. So you're a secret thief. That's bad-ass." I said.

Clarissa shook her head. "I don't know what that means. Did you just insult me?"

Her face was turning red.

"No, I think you're amazing. I had parents that treated me like I was some burden. I was trapped in a hospital with no friends, no way out. But I never thought to try to escape that life, and try to make something of myself. You're pretty awesome."

Clarissa blushed.

"You're very odd Aegis. If another boy talked to me like you do, I would probably slit his throat and leave him in a back alley." She half smirked.

"Well then. I'm glad I'm not on your hit list." I said.

Clarissa blanched, and for a moment her face turned white with fear, then she came back to herself and walked over to Bright.

"What do I have to do?" She turned her back to me.

Bright looked over Clarissa's shoulder at me. She had a surprisingly thoughtful expression.

I realized that behind the bubbly, bouncy girl persona, there resided an incredibly powerful, driven, and intelligent personality that I never, EVER wanted to be on the bad side of.

"Well, first off have you ever read a gauge before? It's a little box with a squiggly line in it ...."


	14. Chapter 14

"Are you ready, Aegis?"

Bright was bouncing up and down in place as her oversized goggles on her head threatened to fall down over her eyes. She held her hands together over her heart and her face was full of anticipation.

"I - I guess?"

I was lying on a rusty iron metal mesh table, my torso and right arm strapped to the cold metal. Just below me was my bottom half and legs. They were so close I could "feel" them touching. It was a very odd sensation. I could almost pretend I had legs again. I felt like I was in some kind of black and white Frankenstein movie.

And Bright was playing the mad scientist to a tee.

"I still don't see why you have to bind my arms. I'm not a monster." I said dryly.

Clarissa looked down at me with a half-smile. I was reminded of that moment when I first saw her, looking at me, that moment I awoke. I felt a little uneasy.

"I guess that makes you Igor..." I said, carrying the Frankenstein analogy to it's absurd end.

"Igor? Who's Igor?" Clarissa looked around, confused. Her blonde hair whipping around.

"Never mind. I was just reminded of someone I saw in a movie once. " I replied.

Clarissa arched an eyebrow.

"Sometimes you say words, Aegis, but they make no sense."

She paced nervously - holding a device with two large buttons, a glass covered gauge, and a thick wire that led down to the floor and over to a machine that was making a decidedly loud whooomp whooomp sound.

The table I was lying on was at the far end of the bridge that led to the Source, the pillar of light that seemed to be flowing down from the ceiling in a cascade of coruscating color and sound. I kept thinking about a movie where a programmer had been caught inside a computer and had to face an evil artificial intelligence. I felt I had a lot in common with that guy. I even had glowing arms and ... legs perhaps. Was I in some kind of computer simulation as well?

"I'm so excited , Aegis!" Bright moved up to me on the word "excited" and her eyes widened.

"I get to fulfill my Purpose. Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?" Bright tittered and came around to the front of the table, by my head, closest to the Source column.

*System Alert: Aegis consciousness may experience unknown levels of discomfort during this process. Reconstruction on this scale has never before been performed. I may not be able to block all the sources of ... discomfort.*

"In other words, this is going to hurt, right?" I said out loud.

Bright's face fell.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I've never really done this before without Kenny. Just that first time ..." She drifted off, looking upward wistfully.

"I hope you know what you are doing" I cautioned.

My body jerked downward slightly as Bright tugged on the table - it was on wheels and she was starting to pull me toward the Source. She was back lit by the bright column of light, and struck a very slim figure in the contrast. I closed my eyes. I needed to stay focused ... or something.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Clarissa yelled over the increasing hum that was coming from all around the room.

Bright made an exaggerated frown and shrugged her shoulders, lifting her free arm for a moment in a "who knows?" gesture.

"That's reassuring" I said.

She stopped pulling the table for a moment and pulled her face close to mine and whispered "I've never done this alone. I'm kinda scared, really. I hope I don't mess this up. I hope Kenny didn't make a mistake creating me like this."

I looked into her eyes. I was scared as well, and worried that this was going to be the end of me. But I had looked death in the eyes before - every day in that hospital it was the shadow in the corner, the silence between the beeps on the machine. And I was ready for that. I was willing to risk a lot to be whole again. But there was one thing...

"Bright, you said that light is ... you. The Source. Is this going to affect you too?" I asked nervously.

I did NOT want anyone else getting hurt because of me. If I somehow cause another person harm ....

Bright looked at me blankly.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe?" She grinned and started pulling the table again. She was surprisingly strong for such a small looking girl. But then I remembered she was neither small nor really a girl. That closed off some stray thoughts in my head. My tension increased. We were getting closer.

"Remember 'issa! Hit the green button when we get in the Source! Look at the gauge! When it gets to the red line, push the red button! Okay!" Bright shouted - talking as if Clarissa was some small child.

"Yeah yeah! Okay! I'm not stupid! Green to start. Red to end!" Clarissa waved the box in her hand to show she was holding it.

Oh boy. My life was in the hands of two girls who may or may not like me, and may or may not like each other. I gritted my teeth.

"Okay!" Bright stood right next to the roaring column of light. Her hands were at the edge of the table. I looked up to see the wildly excited look on her face. She was really enjoying this. I smiled despite myself. Her enthusiasm was infectious.

"1, 2, 3 -- In we go!"

Bright pulled hard on the table and suddenly we both disappeared into a thunderous wall of light and magic. Energy flowed over me like the pounding weight of a waterfall. All around me was light, and sound. My whole body began to tingle. My WHOLE body! I could begin to feel my legs!

The table was shaking uncontrollably, under the incredible assault from the raw magical energy tearing into it. Suddenly I was vertical. Bright must have rotated the table upward. I faced out into a brilliant expanse of energy. For some reason, even though the light should have been blinding, my eyes adjusted. I felt like I was staring into the sun.

Bright walked around from behind the table. It was Bright, but NOT BRIGHT.

She still had the form of a woman, with her short cut hair, almond shaped eyes, and upturned nose, but her eyes were twin coals of blue light - like sapphire stars. Her body was enveloped with a cloud of rainbow colored shapes that turned and twisted in phenomenal patterns that would make fractals weep from their complexity. She stood tall and straight, almost exultant. I was awed by the sheer power I was experiencing all around me, as well as the look she was giving me. Not like love, or even something as warm as friendship. It was like seeing the other part of one's soul. She looked at me with an open admiration that caused me to blush. I was essentially naked, but I'd never felt more exposed than I did now, not even in the hospital when nurses would have to help me undress when I felt particularly weak that day.

It was as if Bright and I were two halves of a whole that was greater than either of us could imagine. She reached up and touched my cheek. A thrill of energy coursed through me like nothing I had ever felt. Like being struck by lightning, but the bolt continued to pour energy through my body. 

And then, there it was ... PAIN.

There was a SNAP as the bonds holding my arms and legs broke away. Pain sliced me in two as Bright held my eyes. I could not look away. The metal of the table melted under the intense energy and began to flow down around my sides. I screamed as a pain so intense it burned into my soul. Blinding, searing , all consuming pain ripped me apart and put me back together again.

The metal of the table was being weaved into my body. Bright moved impossibly fast - turning and manipulating light, magic, arcane symbols, and SHAPED me. Every segment of my golem body was pulled apart, examined, and reformed. This was NOT what I was expecting. I was thinking I'd feel some pain when I got "reconnected" but I did NOT expect to have my whole body, mind, and soul to be RIPPED APART and rebuilt from scratch.

The necklace at my chest dissolved under the onslaught of magical energy pounding my body. The orb glowed with a fierce blue energy that matched the frightening blue stars of Bright's eyes. It drifted in the air in front of me for a moment, then Bright bent down and kissed the orb once again. My body shivered. Never in my life had I experienced anything like this. Raw power, complex magic, the sight of this entity looking at me as if I completed her.

The orb drifted back to my chest, then with a flash it EMBEDDED itself into my chest above my heart. Blue lightning played across my arm, chest and legs - burning and etching across the surface of my skin in impossibly complex patterns. The runes that had been there before melted away before these new, far more ornate symbols.

My body was heating up. The metal was was beginning to glow a dull yellow. The pain was climbing higher and higher. 

Clarissa! 

Bright looked at me with fear in her eyes. She turned to try to leave the Source. To contact Clarissa. To stop me from turning into a slag of metal on the bottom of some pillar of magical energy.

*Warning! Heat exceeding safe limits. Aegis. We must complete this process and exit immediately.*

"I can't move! Aghghgh!!"

I saw Bright bite her lip and start shouting at me. The noise was too intense for my ears, I could only hear roaring. The heat was rising higher and higher.

Suddenly - like a giant hand - a huge piece of metal swung in from somewhere and struck me on the side - I went flying . An instant later I was out of the Source and hurling toward the wall of the domelike room.

I hit the wall with a crash and slid down to the floor. My body was glowing an intense red - as if I were a hot coal in a blacksmith's fireplace. The remains of a bookshelf was around me. The parts of the wood touching me burst into flames.

*Engaging temperature reduction measures. *

Between screams, I heard Interface. I opened my eyes.

Before me was a scene of chaos. Clarissa was standing on the side, her eyes wide and her hands to her face. Next to her was Argent, wielding his immense sword. It was glowing with heat. Steam was escaping from valves all over it's body, and it turned to look at me. Something must have gone wrong with the device. Clarissa had probably run all the way back to Argent to get his help. Her face was red and she was panting with exhaustion.

Bright appeared from the Source. She looked beautiful and fierce and deadly all at the same time. She looked at Argent, then at Clarissa. She did a 180 in the air and turned to me. Her face made an OH and she arced across the room to me.

"Aegis! Are you ok? Did it work?" She looked over me like a worried mother - poking and prodding in places all over and shaking my shoulder.

I looked down at my body. The glow was fading. Instead of a brassy sheen with odd, angular runes everywhere, my body was black and dull - like scorched wood. But, pulsing in my chest was the blue orb. Every few seconds the orb would grow bright and the light would play like a spiderweb all over my body - flowing from the orb down my chest, arms and legs and fade away. Like a magical blue tracing of a frozen lightning bolt.

Wait. My. Legs. MY LEGS!

I stood up shakily - I was pretty tall, I guess. I looked down at Bright who was now about up to my chin. She gave me a big grin.

I turned to look at Clarissa. She was bent over, her head down, her hands on her knees, panting.

"Clarissa!" I walked shakily over to her and put my hand on her shoulder.

That was a mistake.

I was still scorching hot!

"Oww! Don't touch me!" She yelled and fell backwards onto her backside with a thud. Her shoulder was smoking.

Bright ran over, a concerned look on her face. She was back to wearing her sundress. It must have been her default appearance.

She pulled Clarissa into a tight embrace. She placed her hand on Clarissa's shoulder and the smoking stopped.

"Ohh! Thank you so much Clarissa! You did it! Although I have to say enlisting Argent was a bit of an unexpected touch!" Bright laughed.

"The golden haired one called to me. She said your device failed to work." The brass knight turned to me with his glowing eyes.

"I hope I did not injure you, young master Aegis."

"No, not really." I looked down at my body, and my legs. Everything seemed to be in working order. Better even. I felt an immense power flowing through me. Like a cool, rapid stream under a bridge. It was calm now only because I was not directing the flow. But the potential was beyond anything I could have imagined. The space where my left arm should be was closed off. No longer exposed wires and gears. Would I ever be completely whole again?

*System Alert! Upgrade detected. *

Bright let Clarissa go and Clarissa blushed.

"You saved me. Again" I said to Clarissa. She smiled briefly and looked down.

"You look ... different" Clarissa said.

"Oh, he's more than just different, 'issa. " Bright chirped.

"He's better. " Her eyes glowed briefly. "Much better."

*System Alert! Update requires system wide reset. Reset in 5 ... 4... 3...*

My eyes widened "Wait - Interface!" I called out and raised my hands helplessly. I took a step back.

* ... 2 ... 1 *

The world turned black.


	15. Chapter 15

I drifted in the darkness. I was alone. No voices. No Interface. No Bright. No ... Clarissa.

All was peace. Nothingness.

Then, a ripple in the darkness.

*meow*

Meow? My awareness returned like a light shining on the face of a clock.

"Hello?" My voice echoed in the darkness. I was nothing. Thoughts and a voice.

*meow*

There it was again. More ripples in the dark.

Then, I was THERE. Standing on the shore of the pond. I blinked. All around me was grey nothingness. The ground beneath me was slate grey sand. The water was like mercury. Silver, fluid, slow. The sky was a lighter grey - like an eternal twilight that would never see a new dawn.

I turned my head. Where ... ?

'Hello my shield' came a voice.

It was a strong woman's voice. It had a resonant quality like a kindly grandmother.

Then, there was a cat standing before me. Black as night. Piercing blue eyes that thrilled me with ... fear?

"Hello, cat? Who are you? What is this place?"

The cat blinked and proceeded to lick its front paw, lazily.

I stood there, looking around. I could feel the sand between my toes. It was a wonderful feeling after having no legs for so long. Normally I would have demanded answers, with extreme impatience. But the solemness of the place - and the presence of the cat filled me with hope and dread in equal measure.

"You're the cat from before, the one I saw before I woke up. Am I in a dream?"

I swore he could hear a slight chuckle from the cat. Aegis shuddered.

'A dream? A dream within a dream? Or maybe this is the true reality, my little shield.' the cat spoke soundlessly. Not in his ears but directly to his mind.

Sighing, I sat down in the sand and crossed my legs. The sand was warm - slightly warmer than my own body. I glanced down at my hand. Still just one arm.

*I guess even in dreams, I can't be whole* I thought to myself.

'You will be someday, Aegis. But wholeness of body will not stop the danger you will face. Time is very short, yet you will have all the time you need. Until you will wish you had just a moment more. '

"I must be in a game. This must be a simulation. I'm still in a vat in a laboratory somewhere, aren't I? Am I dying?" A tear fell from my' eye.

The cat's eyes glowed suddenly. It's hair rose on the back of its neck. It stood and growled.

'This is no game, Aegis. This is LIFE, and LIGHT. The ones who will depend on you to defend them are no apparitions of your imagination! '

"I - I'm sorry!" My hand came up in defense.

Suddenly, the cat was calm again. It sauntered up to me and placed a paw on my leg.

'Much will be asked of you, my shield. Everything you have. Everything you are. Do not be fooled by your own past, your own preconceptions. You must become a student of knowledge. You must learn all that you can about who you are, and why you are here. Will you do that for me?'

The cat looked up into his eyes. Aegis could see them glow in the unearthly twilight of the strange place he was in.

"O .. okay? Can you tell me who you are?" I answered. I slowly reached down to touch the cat.

'No. Not yet. You are not ready. Look for my sign if you get lost.'

My hand brushed the cat's ear. Suddenly the paw touching my leg grew claws and it scratched my leg deeply. The world was suddenly an explosion of light and sound.

\------

"... Aegis ... Aegis! Wake up!"

[Upgrade complete.]

[Automatic Electronic Generalized Information System : AEGIS.

System v0.02  
Damage report: Repairs complete. Missing left arm compensation in place. Torso and legs have been reintegrated. Mana upgrade complete. Power at 100%.]

*Interface? Are you there?* Aegis thought. His eyes fluttered.

[Location query: I am ... here. There is no other location I can be.]

*Did you see that .. cat?* I thought.

[Query: cat? There is currently no feline life signs within my scanning radius. However there are three life signs near you, asking about your current state of consciousness]

I chuckled. I opened my eyes.

Somehow, I was back in Clarissa's home, in her bed.

*Gee, I should NOT be making a habit of this* I thought to myself.

"Oh, you're awake now? All done ... fixing yourself?" It was Clarissa, hands on hips, dressed once again in a light green dress at the foot of the bed. No sign of her "Tomb Raider" clothing. She seemed both concerned and annoyed at the same time. She was biting her lip. Her blond curls bounced as she turned her head to the door.

Her father walked in briskly and strode up to the bed.

"Hello Gier" I said amiably.

"Don't you Hello Gier me young ... man!" His eyes were red and his hands were in fists. Fear and anger played across his face.

"Clarissa tells me you forced her to go to Mir castle to fetch your ... legs. And you encountered Goblins! What were you thinking, taking my daughter into danger like that?"

"I'm sorry! I would never let anything happen to your daughter."

A thought pulsed through me ... THE SHIELD.

"Well, after what happened yesterday, and now this? I don't know who or what you are, but you aren't welcome here any more. You hear me? Get out!" Gier was shouting, and waving his hands angrily.

I glanced over to Clarissa who shook her head imperceptibly. Well, I had been sold out by my friend, so she'd avoid getting in trouble with her dad. That felt familiar. It had happened to me before, in school. Why should this be any different?

Angrily, I stood up from the bed. Somehow the magic that covered my body was active, and I also seemed to have on a rough shirt and breeches. Clarissa's eyes were wide with innocence and she came around the bed to me. Hesitantly, she touched my arm.

"You should go. There's an Inn just down the street from here. Here's some coins" She pressed a small bag into my hand. It felt odd - like it had more than coins in it. She placed her hand over mine to cover the bag.

"I'm sure you'll be ok."

She looked at me with wide eyes and tilted her head, almost imperceptibly. Was she trying to tell me something?

"Get out! Stay away from my daughter!" Gier was furious.

Bud appeared from outside the door and barked. He was growling at Gier.

"Hey! Bud! Come here!" I called.

Immediately the brown dog ran up to me and I rubbed his face. At least SOME one still liked me. My body felt weird. Everything seemed to feel ... smoother. And I was standing! I grinned inwardly and faced Gier.

"Thank you for saving me. And for your hospitality. " I turned to Clarissa. "Good bye, Clarissa"

She blanched and put her hands behind her back. She looked down at the floor.

I was angry. Angry at myself for believing I could have friends. And how had I gotten back here, to Gier's house?

*Interface, can you locate the nearest Inn?*

[Query: Inn. Affirmative. Location to a building matching your query has been added to your internal directional sense.]

I blinked. I felt a subtle pulling in a certain direction. I my mind's eye I could see a map of the town, with a dot where I was currently, and a blinking path to another building a ways down the street. Nodding to myself, I paced out of the room. Gier glared at me as I left. I tried to catch Clarissa's eye but she had turned away.

Angry again, I strode out of the house and into the street. Slamming the door behind me as I left. They didn't deserve that, I thought. I looked up and down the busy street. People were walking along the sidewalks, going about their business. Bud followed closely - walking ahead for a moment, then coming back to make sure I was still there. A horse and carriage rode by - looking like something out of one of my role playing games. There was a twinge in my leg, where the cat had scratched me..

[Alert! Minor damage detected in the right front leg. Commencing repair protocols.]

Ow. Apparently, as much as it might look like it, this was reality. And I was getting a full dose of it today. I looked back at Clarissa's house. Her face was in the window for a moment, then the curtain was pulled back. I arched my eyebrow.

Girls.

Sighing, I made my way down the street, carefully avoiding other townsfolk. The buildings around me grew taller and I passed by more shops and stores. I paused to look into several interesting shops. One was a weapon shop - full of pointy looking swords and other dangerous weapons. Another was a bakery. I could smell the fresh bread and my mouth watered. Bud barked at me as I paused.

What?

Why would THAT happen? I wasn't hungry. I probably didn't have much of a stomach. I remembered that I had drank water. Could I eat as well? Where would it go?

[Query: food consumption is possible. Your creator gave you the sense of taste as well as the ability to swallow and process organic material. It was to make you appear more ... human]

*Thanks Interface. Any idea where things ... go?* I felt embarrassed asking.

[Query: waste products are incinerated within your internal matrix. Any heat generated is used as an energy source. Other wastes are stored for later repurposing]

*Interface, do you know anything about the currency system here? Did Clarissa give me enough money to get a room at this Inn we are going to?*

[Kendranen Mir has given me access to many systems within this realm. One of which is the currency system. Please inspect the bag for confirmation of the currency]

I was still holding the bag Clarissa had given me. I walked away from the crowds and sat down at a bench near a small fountain. Bud bumped my leg and sat down beside me. I untied the bag and several coins fell into my palm. There was something else in the bag. It was a folded piece of paper.

That's odd, I thought.

[Currency is sufficient to purchase several day's lodging at the closest Inn. However, it is advised that you do not use all of the currency to stay there more than one night. ]

*Why's that?* I asked as I unfolded the piece of paper.

[This Inn is not your permanent housing location]

*Oh? And where might my 'permanent housing location be'?*

[Query: Your home is Castle Mir.]

Oh. Hm. Might want to let the Goblins know about that.

I turned the paper over. There was some writing on it. It looked like gibberish to me.

[Processing. Reading comprehension subprocessing activated.]

Suddenly, I could read it. It was a very strange feeling. Like the words had just lept from the page.

[[ I'm sorry Aegis. My father does not know about my life outside our home. Please don't be mad! I want to see you again. Meet me in the lobby of your Inn (The Merry Maid) tomorrow at 6 bells. If you don't show up, I understand. -- Clarissa]]

I stared at the note.

She wasn't throwing me under the bus! A small thrill made me shudder slightly. Maybe this world wasn't as bad as I thought. I jumped up and ran the rest of the way to the Inn, a lopsided smile on my face. Bud followed with a tail that wagged vigorously.


	16. Chapter 16

I couldn't help but take my sweet time as I walked to the Inn. I kept pausing to rotate my ankles or do a deep knee bend - testing out my new torso and legs. Folks walking around me either stared in wonder at this goofy looking clown boy with a missing arm dancing a jig as he fumbled down the street.

One plump mother in a plain dress with a wiggly child scooped her baby up and nearly got herself killed crossing the cobblestone road. A gilded carriage bearing some noble shouted as she crossed in front of the well groomed horses.

After that, I limited my motions to walking slowly and soon I became once again another ignored face in the crowd.

\---

I approached the Merry Maid with some trepidation. After all, I knew that was going to spend some amount of time there, and hopefully it wasn't some smoke filled parlor with seedy characters and unsavory types. I didn't expect much but what I encountered surprised me. Instead of a dark smoky enclosed bar with creepy people, it was as if a coffee shop and an outdoor restaurant had merged, along with a small hotel.

The front of the Inn featured a colorful picture of a laughing barmaid with a mug of beer in each hand. Large windows with wide awnings allowed tables to be set out on the sidewalk and a number of smiling, happy villagers were sitting and talking - drinking something that smelled strongly of coffee and spices. The clientele seemed like young, middle class folks and nary a seedy type to be found. The men seemed dressed in dark breeches with suspenders and light colored shirts. Some wore jackets and ... were those top hats? I chuckled inwardly. Some of the men had beards and something called "mutton chops". The women were often wearing dresses and carried tiny umbrellas, while others seemed more comfortable in pants that looked to me like something a jockey might wear. I wondered at the social norms of this town.

"...This world" I thought to myself.

I was in another world, one in which magic existed, along with spirits, machines, and goblins - among other things. I thought about Bright, and the Source. I clutched at the magic gem in my chest, hidden by the magic that even now was making me look like a "real boy".

I chuckled. I never in a million years would imagine a world where I was essentially a mechanical Pinocchio with a magical girl as my guide. But my Gepetto was ... dead.

I frowned as darker thoughts filled my head. My hand pushed the door open to the Inn and I could see the interior was well-lit and busy with folks coming and going as well as sitting at rough wooden tables. The overall cheerfulness of the place chased away the shadows of my thoughts and I smiled inwardly. The lobby was essentially a coffee shop type set up with large glass windows facing the street, tables arranged along the walls and around the floor - with all sorts of folks talking, drinking, and eating. Along the back wall was a long wooden bar with a serving girl rushing around dispensing drinks. On the right side a stern looking man with coke bottle glasses and severe black hair was checking in someone for a room.

Steeling myself, I approached the counter.

"Hello, I would like to get a room for the night," I said.

The stern man gave me an appraising look, which was somewhat disconcerting, given his dramatically enlarged eyes behind huge round glasses.

"And who might you be, young sir. I've not seen you around here before."

I panicked quietly inside.

*Interface, help me! What's a good story to tell this man?*

[Query: You are from a merchant's family and you are here to seek out an apprenticeship with the local merchant's guild. You've been given a stipend from your father and you wish to stay the night at this in to get your bearings.]

*Wow! Thanks Interface!*

Somehow I could almost see in my mind's eye - the strange A.I. within me smiled. How could I sense that?

I relayed the story to the innkeeper who frowned over his glasses.

"A merchant's son? Here to see your fortune?" He asked.

I nodded weakly. I tried to give him a winning smile, but instead I think I looked a bit freakishly manic.

"So, let's see your papers, son" The innkeeper asked, turning his hand palm upward to receive the paperwork.

[Notice: reach into your pants pocket, Aegis] Interface prompted.

Without thinking, my hand fell to my pants and reached into my pocket. My fingers felt the edges of a piece of paper and I quickly produced the paperwork.

*I hope this works!* I thought to Interface. *How did you do that?*

The Innkeeper scrutinized the paper and looked back at me several times.

Nervously, I scratched a nonexistent itch behind my head. I had a flashback to a time when I was applying to the school soccer team. I had been bugging my dad for months, asking to be allowed to join because I felt lonely at school, and was having a hard time making friends. I thought that if I joined a sports team, at least I would be able to interact with other kids during practice, and maybe even make some friends. My father had been reluctant to go through the process, which involved documenting my activities in soccer when I was younger, as well as other sports I participated in, like football.

After much pestering and cajoling by both me and my mom, he eventually caved and took me to see the soccer coach. I think he believed it was a waste of his time. The coach was equally reluctant, but said he'd give me a chance based on the strength of the history of games I had played. It was one of the few times my dad had come through for me. I felt like I was a tremendous burden to him, almost always, but at least that once, he was willing to spend some time to help me do something I felt strongly about.

I blinked and came back to the here and now. The Innkeeper was staring at me with a key in his hand.

"Well, do you want a room or not?" He sounded annoyed.

"Yes! I mean, yes sir. Thanks!" I reached for the key, but he pulled it up and away at the last moment and turned his head sideways to me.

"Um, there's the matter of payment. Mister Aegis." He regarded me with a mixture of boredom and annoyance.

[Query: The illusion magic that controls your appearance was extended to include the paper Clarissa gave you. It was a simple matter to transform the words to a suitable reference.]

"Oh, yes! Of course." I reached into the pocket again and produced the coins Interface had suggested - in the right amount.

The Innkeeper snatched the coins and dropped the key on the counter.

"Room 158. Checkout is at noon tomorrow, unless you want to keep the room for another night. Dinner and breakfast is provided here in our open eating area. Same meal for everyone. If you want something special the cost is extra. No ... visitors." He eyed me suspiciously.

"No, sir. I understand. May I stay out here while I'm a guest here?" I gestured to the tables.

He nodded and then started as he realized I only had one arm.

"Good God, what happened to you, son?" He asked as he gazed at my left shoulder.

Feeling a bit adventurous, I decided to go bold.

"I fought off a goblin attack a few years ago. They got my arm before I could beat them off..." I made some mock chopping motions with my right arm.

Agast, the innkeeper stared at me with his huge eyes. A moment later he handed my paper back and a few wooden tokens.

"These are your food tokens. - And here-" He tossed a few more tokens - they looked larger and different with a symbol of a glass on them. "- here's a few drink tokens. On the house. Don't tell anyone I gave them to you."

I tried to give him a winning smile and gathered up the tokens and the key.

I went immediately to the room and checked it out. Since I had no belongings I flopped onto the clean but plain bed and looked out the window. The room was sparsely furnished, with an oak cabinet for clothes, a bed with well worn cotton blankets, and a small table with a lamp. Not a modern lamp, mind you, but one of those old fashioned oil lamps.

I was startled by a knock at the door. Could it be Clarissa? Come a day early? Cautiously, I opened the door to see the serving girl from the bar downstairs. She looked at me somewhat shyly.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Um. Is your name Aegis? That's right? You're listed as being in room 158." She was holding something behind her back. She smiled slightly with a bit of a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Um, yeah. Is something wrong?" I started.

"Oh no no. Not at all. It's just you had a package delivered, and they said you had to get it right away." She smirked, and produced a small square object wrapped in plain paper.

Bemused, I took the package from her. It was surprisingly heavy. I was guessing it was a book of some sort. Then I stared. There was a symbol stamped into the paper. A black cat.

*Look for my sign ...* The cat had said.

The barmaid was still standing there, with a bit of an expectant look on her face. She waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, yes. Just a moment."

*Interface, what's a good amount for a tip?*

[Query: What is a ...tip?]

*Oh never mind* I answered in my head.

I took out a coin at random and handed it to her. Her eyes widened and a huge grin crossed her red lips. She had perfect, white teeth, and her hair was red with ringlets. I looked at her again, really noticing her. She looked down shyly and with a curtsy was gone. I caught the scent of roses. It must have been her perfume.

Blinking, I shook myself a bit and sat back down on the bed. The noonday sunlight was streaming in the big window, and I could hear the sounds of the street below. The package was wrapped with a bit of twine, and I was having some trouble opening it with one hand.

Sighing, I found a folded corner and tore the paper away. With a sudden inspiration, I held the package with my foot and pulled away the string. This revealed a thick leather bound book with a golden frame. In the sunlight the cover of the book gleamed. In the center of the cover was a golden dome shaped circle, split horizontally.

What the heck was this?

The book was bound by a lock holding it closed.

[Alert! High amounts of mana detected. Source appears to be the object before you]

*Is it dangerous?* I asked in my head.

The book shuddered. The golden dome cracked open along the horizontal split. It wasn't a dome at all, it was an eye! I jumped back in surprise, nearly falling off the bed. The eye moved to orient on me and blinked.

"Oh yes! Quite dangerous." the book said.

And then I really did manage to fall off the bed.


	17. Chapter 17

"Ow" I said, standing and rubbing my backside.

If I'm a golem, how is it that I feel pain? I thought to myself . Bud decided it was a good time to lick my face. Ugh.

[Response: Your pain receptors are set up to simulate actual situations where you would have felt pain if you were organic. It is to facilitate your adaptation to this new form. In addition, it can communicate actual damage in the most efficient way.]

"Oh, so you're saying I feel pain, for my own good?" I said out loud to Interface as I looked over at the book lying on my bed.

[Response: Affirmative]

"Pain is part of life, Aegis. Without pain, pleasure would be empty and without meaning." The odd book said.

"What? What are you? Are you a book? A monster? What?" I asked tentatively. I tensed, ready to bolt out the door.

The eye turned to look directly at me. It was very eerie.

"I am Archive. What you see before you is a magical construct by the wizard Kendranen Mir. I represent the access point to the sum total of all the magical information your creator accumulated in Castle Kendranen before he ... disappeared. " The book had a deep voice - like a blues club singer or something.

"So, you're like a ... laptop? Or an iPad for magic huh?" I asked as I sat back down on the bed. I touched the surface of the book tentatively.

The one eye blinked.

"I have no reference for the words that you are saying. I do not rest on the top of laps. Nor do I have feet to pad."

I laughed.

"If you're a magical book, do you know about my Interface?" I asked.

"If you are referring to the logic construct within you that controls your body, I am aware of it." It replied dryly.

I was reminded of a history professor I had in high school. A Mr. Patterson. He was always lecturing us about life, but he was never patronizing. He was smarter than most of us, and he knew it. He just didn't rub it in our faces. He also had a pocket protector.

I sighed and ran my hand across my forehead. It 'felt' real. I was beginning to wonder if anything I've ever felt was real, however.

"So, Archive, did Bright send you?" I was still wondering about the cat symbol on the package.

"No". It replied. And then completely did not elaborate.

Well then.

"So, ah, Archive. Are you a person somewhere, talking though this book? Or are you ... just a magical book" I wiggled my fingers at the "magical" part for emphasis.

The book blinked it's one big eye, slowly, like a frog. "As I said. I'm a magical construct. My physical manifestation on this plane of existence is what you see before you."

"This plane? You mean there are others?" I asked without thinking.

"Of course." The book lock popped open and the book unfolded, the pages spinning rapidly. Then they stopped. Written in cursive handwriting I could barely make out, the words "Other Planes"' appeared. Below it were four squares full of swirling rainbow colors. In a moment each one resolved to a different scene. One showed a ship on a stormy ocean. It was so incredibly detailed, and it moved! The ship was being tossed about by huge grey stormy waves, and lightning flashed. In the box to the right of it was a red-sunned desert. As I squinted I could see the waves of heat coming off the sand, like a mirage. Below that was an icy mountain picture, with what I thought were bats flying around a craggy peak. I blinked when I realized those were not bats, but very far away dragons! The last box to the left of that made me catch my breath. It was a scene at night. The stars were dim from some kind of haze. I could see lights at regular intervals over a paved road. In the distance I could see ... a McDonald's sign glowing in the distance!

I jumped up to the book. Pointing at the tiny square with my only hand.

"There! That's my home! "

I was panting suddenly, fear and excitement washed over me like a sudden shower of cold water.

"Archive! Can you take me there? Is that a live cam?" I yelled.

"No. And no. I do not understand your reference. A cam is a rotary device used to convey motion. You save several cams within you. But they are not "alive" the book said dryly.

[Notice: Aegis, this magical construct does not "get" your slang vocabulary from your world. Would you like me to assist?] Interface offered in my head.

"What?" I was too stunned by the little scene before me. A tiny car passed by in the night.

"Oh, sure. What should I do?"

[Query response: touch the book]

I hesitated. In many of the fantasy games I had played, touching a magical artifact resulted in lots of magical sparkles, lots of pain, and me with my butt sprawled on the floor again.

"Archive, may I ... touch you? My Interface wants to chat with you" I asked.

The book cover partially closed, then reopened. I could have sworn that was a bookish shrug. I grinned.

"Ok Interface, here goes" I replied and placed my palm on the page with the tiny moving pictures.

[Aegis, please say something to trigger your intention to interact with this magical construct.]

"Oh? Ok, how about 'Log in Aegis'?" I replied.

Suddenly, light flared from the blue orb on my chest. It had been so quiet and inactive I had almost forgotten it was there. My whole body hummed. Power flowed from my chest down my arm to the book. It was starting to shudder. Then suddenly -

Pain.

White light flooded my vision.

Time to pass out again, I guess.

\---

I woke to find myself lying face down on my bed. My hand was still on the book. I smelt something, like a bit like wood smoke. Bud was whining and pulling at my leg, which was conveniently hanging off the bed for him to tug on with his teeth.

"Ow." I said, it was the most intelligent thing I could think of, at first. Since, you know, pain.

[Query: Aegis. Are you 'all right?' I was temporarily unable to modulate the mana flow due to my unfamiliarity with the Archive's interface requirements]

"Uhhhh. What?" I actually had slobber on my lips? Does a golem drool? I guess I do.

"Hello Aegis." - there was a new voice in the room.

I sat up quickly. Lots of places on my body hurt. Including my head.

"Let's ... not do that again, Interface. Ok?"

"No need, Aegis. I have acquired the information from your Interface to adequately converse with you, with 'your words'. " The new voice said.

It seemed to be coming from the book. But, didn't it have some deep blues club singer voice? Wait. I remembered that voice. I had heard it almost every day in class. In History class! I pushed myself up with my one arm. I was pretty strong, it seemed, as I lifted myself up easily despite the pain. The page my hand had been on was now completely blank. Or rather, there were no more pictures, or writing. There WAS however a scorched impression of my hand on the page. There was even still a little smoke.

"Hold up. Hold right up." I sat up groggily.

"Holding, Aegis." The book seemed to be grinning. How was that possible?

"I recognise that voice. Mister .... Mister Patterson?"

"Quite right my boy" - Mister Patterson always called me "My Boy" in class. It was super annoying.

"Um. What just happened?" I asked.

"Well, Aegis, it didn't 'just happen'. You've been out for oh, I think about 3 hours." The book closed itself and the beady eye regarded me. Some odd chuffing sound came from it. Was it laughing?

"Ok, maybe I'm really crazy now? This fantasy world is now really just some kind of nightmare?" I asked weakly.

"Not at all my boy. I've merely acquired your memory engrams of this person you looked up to in your previous existence, and using your Interface's processing power, we constructed a personality profile that is compatible with your past experiences, in order to facilitate a conducive interaction profile"

Yup, that was Mister Patterson. Always ten words when one word would have been just as good.

"How are you ... Mister Patterson?" I asked. Then... I processed what he had just said.

The book sighed. "I just said this, my boy. I took the memories of your history teacher and applied them to my own persona. So I can interact with you more efficiently. "

"Yeah, yeah. I get it now. But, why? How?"

[Query: when I was downloading your memories for my own interaction processing, I acquired a number of useful personas with which to interact with you. This one matched the Archive's own needs the closest.]

I sat down at the head of the bed and stared. I was in a fantasy world, with magic, strange abilities, amazing women who actually wanted to be around me ( well at least one - Bright didn't really count, did she?), and a dead wizard who for some reason thought it would be fun to pull me into this world, and now my history teacher was talking to me through a magical book.

I rubbed my face with my hand. I looked over at the stump of my left shoulder. I was incomplete. Someone had tried to kill me in this world - or at least the golem part. And apparently someone had successfully murdered an extremely powerful and intelligent wizard in the process. A chill ran down my back.

"So Mister Patterson - "

"Archive, my boy. I'm not your old teacher. I'm still a magical book with almost limitless knowledge of this world, and others. I'm just a bit more able to talk with you in a way you can understand. But still respect."

Uggggh. This was going to get old fast.

"Okay, okay, Interface. Are you ok? It looks like I may have burnt one of your pages." I asked. The last thing I wanted to do is piss off an insanely powerful magical artifact the moment I actually meet it.

"Sure, my boy. I'm "ok". If you are referring to the burnt page. It's actually a part of the spell you cast. It essentially brands me to your service. Forever."

"Oh! I , uh, hope that's ok with you?" I offered, running my hands through my hair.

The book's eye blinked.

"Of course. ... um... no one's ever actually asked me about how I felt about things before. This is a first! You are quite a unique boy, Aegis. I look forward to interacting with you. "

[Alert: Incoming transmission ] Interface buzzed in my head.

"Uh, what? How's that possible? Is there internet in this world? Wireless?" I asked Interface.

[Query: internet and wireless do not exist in this world. The source of the transmission is unknown. I was not previously aware we were capable of this form of communication. A new subroutine has been activated within our systems.]

"It kinda makes me feel a little better that you don't simply know all and see all, Interface. What is this transmission?"

"Ah, my boy, if you are referring to the alert your Interface must have given you, I have some knowledge of that. When you connected to me via magic, that triggered a spell that has been lying dormant back at the castle. It is a special spelled message intended just for you." Archive intoned.

I picked up the book. It was warm. The leather of the binding was supple and soft. It was kinda creepy. Was this book alive? The big eye on the cover was also pretty disturbing.

"So, how could anyone know I would be here, so send me a message? Who is it from?"

Archive blinked. "Isn't it obvious, my boy? It's from Kendranen Mir!"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I was reeling.

Kendranen Mir! The wizard who ... 'created' me. And maybe a key to find out what happened to him. And perhaps a key to this mystery that had pulled me into another world. And ... a cat? I was still just in some kind of reactive mode. Going from one thing to the next like a soccer ball bouncing from foot to foot. Where was the goal? Was there even a goal? And who were the players?

I closed my eyes and shook myself inwardly. If this was a game, I would already be plotting my path through the game. Finding out how to get equipment, how to get supplies, how to "level up". Instead I kept getting hit by new things in this world before I could even respond to the previous ones.

The sun was getting lower in the sky - it was way past noon and heading toward evening. I looked out the window and saw the sprawling city. A crazy maze of streets, people of all walks of life moving about. Horse drawn carriages of all shapes and sizes travelling to some unknown destination. Something caught my eye. Was that - was that a zeppelin in the air? I shook my head in wonder.

This was real. It HAD to be. I could smell horses, smoke, and other less pleasant things. I lifted my hand before my face. I mentally turned off the camouflage spell that made me look human and looked at my arm. The blue orb was pulsing faintly in my chest. At every pulse, I could see lines of light travelling across my body - almost like cars travelling down narrow, angular, twisty roads - to the tips of my fingers and toes. Oh my gosh! I had toes again! I wiggled them and chuckled inwardly.

"Uh. Um. Aegis?" Archive began.

"Yes." I coughed. The camouflage covered my body once again. Somehow clothes appeared as well? I mentally shrugged. Magic.

[Query: Are you ready to receive this message, Aegis?] Interface sounded insistent. I had a mental image of a puppy bouncing up and down - eager to fetch the stick. I smiled.

"Okay, okay guys. Yes. Let's hear the message." I took a deep breath.

A figure appeared before me. He was dressed in a grey business suit, all trim and straight lines and edges. I nearly fell out of the bed .... AGAIN.

"Whoah, what is this? A hologram?" I asked.

The man stared off vaguely to my right. It was as if he was looking out the window.

He was not as old as I envisioned. He looked about 40ish. His short cropped hair was slightly grey. It matched his suit. He had a kind looking face with a close cropped beard in sort of a soft goatee. He seemed extremely clean cut, businesslike. I was expecting a floppy hatted, wrinkly, hunch backed wizard with a big staff and sticks in his hair. What I was looking at was more like an older Bruce Wayne or something. His eyes were a deep blue. Impossibly blue. And, he was wearing a monocle. That seemed a little cliche.

"Hello Aegis. My name is Kendranen Mir. I know you have a lot of questions. And, as a matter of fact, I have a lot of answers. However, I'm sorry to say they will not come easily. If you are seeing this projection, it means my worst fears have come to fruition, and I was not able to prevent the events from unfolding as I had predicted. In all likelihood, I'm dead. Or worse. I'm very sorry to be placing you in this position, Aegis. But I see so much potential in you. Potential that was about to be horribly wasted in your own world. You see, you were dying. And that was not something any of your world's science would be able to prevent. "

I cringed. I had accepted death a long time ago. But this place had given me a new hope. Facing that mortality again was hard. I bit my lip.

"Why me?" I asked.

The projection continued on, seemingly unable to respond to my question.

"You are probably trying to speak to me, but unfortunately this is merely a projection. I have instilled within you a "program" - is that how your world calls it? It's an interface that allows your spirit to reside within the body of the magically animated golem I have created for you. This body has abilities far beyond your wildest imagination. But those days are ahead of you. I must ask several things of you, Aegis. First, that you trust me. You will discover many people of this world will at first seem to be one thing, and they will instead be another. This world is full of what you call "magic" but it also has science as well. There are many more wizards like me. And some of them are not nearly as scrupulous as I am. You must keep yourself hidden within my castle. I'm sure by now you have encountered your counterpart - Bright."

He paused to smile. He had nice teeth. His eyes smiled as well. I found myself liking this poor guy.

"She is very ... unorthodox. But it is in her nature as a being of Mana. You must treat her with kindness, friendship, but also respect. She is an example of what I just mentioned. On the surface she may seem to just be a bubbly girl with powers. But beneath the surface she is far more. You must NOT let her get into the wrong hands. She is as much a part of you as your interface, or your own very soul. Remember this!"

His face had turned red. I cringed a bit. Even though it was just a projection, he was a formidable man. I would never want to be on his bad side.

"Secondly, you must become a student of magic. You are a being of magic, and science as well, but more than that. More of that I cannot say for now, but suffice to say I have created a few more artifacts that will help you learn magic. One has the appearance of a book. It is called Archive. "

I looked down at the book. The eye blinked at me a few times. It seemed to be smiling.

"Archive is a magical manifestation of all my acquired knowledge. It will help you learn to use magic. In time, you might even surpass me. I have instilled that potential within you."

I sucked in my breath. I felt like I was getting my "quest". Every time I was convinced this world was real, things like this happened, that reminded me of a game. I was so confused.

"What about the cat?" I asked.

"Lastly," he continued - still ignoring me or unable to respond - "I need your help. You must find who has ... put an end to me. With all my powers and resources, they have kept themselves unknown to me. There are many dark powers in this world. And many that will be glad to see me dead. But of them I am keenly aware. The force that acts against me is of a different order."

I remembered the malevolent presence I had almost encountered when I first came to this world. And the hooded figure that literally beat me with my own arm. And then there was the cat.

"What can I do? I'm a nobody? I don't even know the first thing about magic." I asked.

The wizard turned toward me and looked me in the eye. I froze. My body would not respond.

[Warning: something has taken over our functions. I am unable to compensate.]

"Aegis. This is no game. This world is not a plaything. These are real lives at stake. You are their Aegis, their shield. I believe in you. Live in this world. Make friends. Take your time and learn magic. You cannot rush this. You will only be able to face our enemies once you have learned how to use the innate abilities within you. Find out who put an end to me, but do not seek revenge. Only shield, only protect."

The wizard walked toward me and touched my forehead. My whole body was tingling like I had pins and needles. He looked at me with his impossibly blue eyes and smiled. He reached up and removed his monocle. My hand automatically reached out for it without my will doing anything to stop it.

As he placed it in the palm of my hand, he began to fade.

"Oh, and one more thing. Don't trust the cat. She is not your enemy, but ... she is also not your friend. She is nobody's friend." His last words were wistful as he faded away fully.

Suddenly I could move my arms and legs again. I gasped for air, even though I didn't really need to breathe. I looked down at the palm of my hand. The monocle was still there. It felt like more than just a piece of glass and wire.

[Attention: High levels of mana and complex electronic activity detected in the device in your hand. ]

"Huh. No duh..." I whispered.

I looked over at Archive.

"Did you see all that, as well?" I asked.

"Yes, Aegis, I did." the book responded.

"That's good. I'm hungry. I'm going downstairs to get something to eat. Is it ok to leave you here or should I put you under the bed or something?" I ran my fingers through my hair and took a deep breath.

Archive's eye widened.

"Heavens no, my boy! That will be quite unnecessary. I will be fine here." The clasp closed again on the book, and the eye closed. It looked like a ... well a really creepy book.

"Interface, is there any way to keep track of this room while we go downstairs. Like a ward or something?"

[Affirmative. I can detect if anyone comes near this location. ]

"Great! I'm starving. Let's go get some food!"

[You know, Aegis, you don't really require ....]

"Hush! The last thing I need right now is some lip from you. I've just had the great and powerful OZ give me some huge quests. I need some time to sit down and think about everything. And the best way for me to do that is to go downstairs and eat in the nice crowded lobby while folks chit chat about their lives. Ok?" My voice was getting higher and higher pitched.

[Affirmative. Good strategy, Aegis.]

I pocketed the monocle and strode downstairs to the noisy tavern lobby. The door closed with a click behind me.

\-----

We are just getting started! I hope you enjoy this novel, as much as I am enjoying writing it! Please consider starring, commenting, and sharing! It's like Christmas and Valentines Day all in one to a writer.


	19. Chapter 19

'Interface, is it possible to change my appearance? Like other clothes?' I asked as I made my way down the hallway towards the staircase that led to the tavern proper.

[Query response: Affirmative. All you need to do is visualize your clothing parameters, and I will attempt to emulate.]

"Nice! Try this." I imagined myself before I ... got sick. Weathered jeans, nice sneakers, and a grey t-shirt with a dragon on it from Dungeons and Dragons. Over that, was my trusty blue jean jacket that my ex-girlfriend said made me look like someone called James Dean.

Ugh, thoughts of my ex girlfriend, about how we got along so well before ... the illness. But now as I looked back on that with seemingly older eyes I realized that she had just been using me for popularity. We got along fine, but looking back - and somehow memories in this body seemed to have an extra clarity to them - I could see the little looks she would give me when she thought I wasn't looking, or how she would act differently toward me when we were around our other friends instead of when we were alone. I don't know what hurt worse, the loss of my girlfriend or realizing she never really had feelings for me to begin with.

I glanced down at myself as I descended the staircase and smiled. I looked every bit the part of that James Dean - even with the hair.

'Nice job, 'face'

Somehow, I felt Interface ... smile? That was new.

'Are you getting emotions, Interface?' I thought to it.

[Query Response: Bright's updates are coming on line over time. It looks like one of these is a routine for simulated emotions. Shall I disable it?]

"No, no. I like it. Just don't turn into Lore please."

[**** Memory Query**** : Lore ....... Ah a fictional robot from one of your 'tv' programs. It steals emotions from its counterpart ... Data ... and goes insane. Yes. If I begin to act erratically, please ask Bright to disable my functioning ]

I laughed, drawing a few glances my way as I entered the Tavern eating area.

It was growing dark outside and what appeared to be gaslights were glowing along each wall. The open windows from before had been pulled closed and I could sense heat coming from open panels near the floor. Central heating? My estimation of the technology of this world jumped up a bit.

The brown paneled walls were decorated with colorful paintings and tapestries, with lamps attached to the walls at regular intervals. The townsfolk were sitting at tables - eating and discussing all sorts of things. There were rough looking farmers at one table with leather hats and suspenders over dirty white shirts, while at another table some men in business suits were playing a game of cards - some with huge cigars in their mouths. Everything was busy, bustling, and overall friendly seeming. It reminded me of those big hotels my father would take us to when we went with him on a business trip. Travelers of all kinds all talking in low key at once, with smells of cigar smoke, food, and even sweat mingling in a strangely comforting blend.

I pulled up my collar and went to the bar with my food tokens. The barmaid was there and gave me a wink.

"Just find a table anywhere 'hon and I'll bring you some food." She said while spinning in place to avoid another barmaid passing by with a huge plate in her hand.

I nodded and wandered about the tavern. I picked up snippets of conversation that didn't make sense to me. Talks of crops, and of shipping deals, of zeppelin tickets, and rumors of goblins in the north. I chucked.

'The goblins are much closer than you think, lady' I thought to myself.

[Query Response: Approximately 25 - 30 goblins have encamped roughly 10 miles from here. They are close to Castle Mir.]

My eyes opened wide.

'How do you know that 'face?' I asked.

[Query Response: I am 'tapped in to' as you say the Castle's defenses. It has been alerted to their presence for some time. ]

"Oh" I said as I found an empty table near the back of the hall. The lights were fewer back here, and as such I hoped to not attract attention to myself.

'Do you know how Bright is doing?' I thought to Interface.

*Why don't you ask me yourself?* A chipper voice sounded in my ears.

I almost fell out of my chair. I started coughing to cover my startle. A few wary eyes turned toward me. I ducked my head down and pretended to be lost in thought.

'You mean I've been able to talk to you this whole time? Why didn't you say anything? Have you been reading my thoughts?'

* HA! HA! HA! HA! You have to let a girl have SOME mystery Aegis! This is one of my upgrades to your system! I'm actually connected to that shiny blue gem in your chest. If Interface is your 'head' then I am your 'heart' HAH! *

'And the reading of the thoughts ...' I asked nervously.

* Silly! I don't read any thoughts you have that aren't directed at me. Is there something I should know, Aegis? Are you holding back on me? * I could hear the teasing suspicion in her voice. Oh man.

'No, no. Nothing. Just wouldn't want to bore you. Do you know about a book called Archive? It was delivered to me today by ... someone'

The barmaid brought me a huge plate of food and a big mug full of very cold water. The food was basically beef chunks covered in some kind of gravy, some green beans looking things, and what could only be a baked potato. My stomach growled.

[Query: Do you appreciate the hunger simulation routine I deployed? It allows you to process food more readily ]

"Yeah. Sure." I said absently.

*Hmm. Sure I know about Artie - that's what I call that Archive. I have to deal with him all the time. He's sooo boooring! I didn't send any book to you though. That's kinda odd. I should know about stuff like that...*

I was starting to get a headache with all the talking going on in my head that wasn't me. I picked up the fork and tasted the beef. It was amazing.

'Listen, 'face, Bright. Could you guys give me some space tonight? Like is there a privacy mode I could go into so I can be ... alone with my thoughts? I've had a lot of stuff happen today and I'd love to just kinda ... be alone for a while?'

[Query Response: Of course, Aegis. I can go into a standby mode. I still need to process more of your memories and integrate more of Bright's ... upgrades.]

** Oh well geeze Aegis. I just get to talk to you and you're asking for some "privacy". Hmph! Well I guess I'll go polish some statues or something and await your beck and call! **

Ouch. I cringed.

'I'm sorry Bright. If you want to stay, that's ok. ' I bit my lip. Was I crying?

** No no, Aegis. I understand. I'm your 'heart' remember? Interface may know what you're thinking, but I know what you're feeling right now. And you're feeling pretty lost and anxious. If having some alone time will make you happier, I'm all in for that. But just so you know I'm not like your dog Bud that you can just call and dismiss me like a little maid. **

Suddenly she sent me a vision. In my minds eye I saw Bright dressed up in a maid outfit. She had her arms crossed and a duster in one hand. One eye was closed and she was sticking her tongue out at me. Oh man.

** Ha ha ha! Enjoy your 'alone time' Aegis! ** and she faded away.

I rubbed my face with my right ( and only! ) hand. I was going to need to be more careful how I talked to Bright. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to hurt her feelings for real.

As my thoughts returned to the table and my food, I was suddenly aware that someone else was sitting at the table with me. It was a woman dressed in loose tan breeches, a green tunic with a bright red cloak about her shoulders. She had shoulder length dark brown hair that had odd highlights ... were they green? Her face had a very sly look with heavy lidded eyes and full lips. And her hand was upright on the table with her elbow down. A small flame was dancing just above her palm. The light reflected in her eyes in an odd way. Magic!

"Hi there young man. My name is Sylvania Dawn. I'm a purveyor of the magical arts, as well as a source for lots of - shall we say - hard to find items. I noticed you sitting here alone for the evening. Perhaps you might be interested in something ... magical? She smiled slyly."


	20. Chapter 20

I blinked.

"Are you using ... magic?" I asked.

She gave me a deadpan look.

"Well, I don't see any other mages within kicking distance of this table, so let's just assume for the sake of our conversation that I am. Is that such a surprise to you? Where are you from? The outer lands?"

Her voice was deep and smooth, like the lounge singers in those black and white movies my dad would watch late at night, when he thought my mom and I were asleep. One of her eyebrows was raised in an incredulous expression.

"Uh, no, I uh, was just surprised. Is magic common around here?" I realized that I had learned next to nothing about the world I was now living in, other than that I had a powerful mage as my "creator" and that there were street thugs that beat up and hurt old men. I felt suddenly very lost and afraid. One wrong word to the wrong person and I could be broken bits buried in the dirt again.

Sylvania blinked a few times as she gave me an appraising look. Her hand closed and the flame winked out.

"You, know. It's a common practice when someone introduces themselves, for you to do the same. You aren't from around here are you?" She looked down at her fingernails and crossed her legs under the table.

"Ah. Heh heh. Yes, well I'm not used to people just coming right on up and sitting with me who I've never met. Um, my name is Aegis." I held out my hand, awkwardly.

Sylvania tilted her head sideways slightly - almost like a dog who's heard a high pitched whistle. I suddenly felt very nervous. What if she learns about who and WHAT I am? I regretted shutting out Bright and Interface. I considered bolting from the table right then.

She took my hand tentatively, and glanced over at my left shoulder - my armless left shoulder.

"So, ah, what happened to you? Hurt yourself in a farming accident?" She clutched at a necklace as she talked. It was a dark green jem encased with a gold cagelike setting. I realized her eyes were also a deep green. Her whole presence was striking. Dark hair, heavy lidded eyes, calm, self-assured presence. I glanced around to see if anyone else was surprised to see magic being done, but no one else seemed to notice us.

"Uh, no , I uh got in a fight with some Goblins, and uh barely made it away alive."

I really needed to work on my story. I could see her expression changed to doubt at my paper thin lie.

"Listen, I'm sure you're amazing and all that, and I'll bet there's someone else in this tavern who would really like to hear all about your services and all. I'm just a tradesman's kid who's come to find an apprenticeship with some local merchant. I just got here today and I'm pretty tired." I yawned - unconvincingly.

"Listen, ... Aegis ... If that's your real name. I know a bit about this city. It's not a safe place for someone who's not aware of its ... dangers. There are different factions of organized crime, the Iron Church, the Thieves Guild, and others. Not to mention those Goblins you talked about. You could use someone who knows what's what around here, to give you a bit of advice and perhaps guide you to what you are looking for? Hmm?" She made a small gesture with her hands and a tiny map appeared above the table -- almost like a hologram it slowly rotated in place. I could see that the streets and buildings corresponded with my own internal map of the town.

She had a point. And yet... what if she WAS one of the dangers of this place. I had played far to many games and seen too many movies to let someone who was as shady looking as her pull the wool over my eyes.

"How do I know you aren't one of those dangers?" I asked, a bit more boldly than I felt.

She seemed taken aback. Her hand pressed to her chest.

"Me? A danger?" She looked off in the distance for a moment - seemingly pondering my words. Then she smiled. I felt like Alice did before the Cheshire Cat.

"Perhaps I am - " she started, but then a very large, very angry looking brute of a man bumped the table aside and banged his fist on it's wooden surface, making all the plates and cups bounce and clank.

"Sylvania! You worthless, pathetic, liar. You tricked me! Those weren't magic corn seeds you shoved on me. Those were just rotten horse feed you must have put some kind of spell on to look like magic seeds. I've been looking all over this city for you, and now you decide to show your despicable face here. " He growled.

Sylvania looked stricken and stood up - shoving her chair backwards. A few other folks in the common area glanced over at us.

The rough looking man seemed to be one of the local farmers - if they made farmers that could pass as professional wrestlers back on my world. He was almost six feet tall with shoulders that must have been working the fields since he was a kid. I also stood up and backed up a bit.

Sylvania put up her hands in a placating gesture. I could see in her eyes she was quite terrified.

"Now listen, Jordan, I had no idea those seeds were not exactly as I had described. I had just procured them from a reputable - " Her explanation was cut off as he grabbed her arm by the wrist with a beefy hand and yanked it upward harshly.

"I don't wanna hear nothing about your procurements! I want my money back, and I want it now!" With that he shoved her back hard and she stumbled backward into some other guests who screamed and backed away. The look on her face was completely different from the calm, self assured persona she had been projecting just a few moments ago.

Why was she not blasting this guy with magic? I thought. And why was she so terrified of him? But then she stood up shakily and balled her hands into fists.

She bit her lip and looked at the floor.

"I don't have it. " She said quietly.

The barmaids were shouting for the police just outside the tavern. People were scrambling back away from tables. I just stood there like an idiot.

"What?" The huge man yelled.

"I had debts to pay. Obligations." She seemed so crestfallen.

"Well, then missy, I'll take it out of your hide!" And the man she had called Jordan backhanded her suddenly and she hit the floor again.

Emotions raged up within me. A thrill coursed through my body. I couldn't let this woman get hurt by this hulking guy. But I also couldn't let everyone know I was some kind of superhuman monster the first night of my stay at a tavern. I needed to THINK, before I acted.

Then, it came to me.

"I have it." I said, assuming a swagger I didn't actually feel.

The farmer turned to me, eye blazing with anger.

'Interface! WAKE UP' I screamed internally.

"What did you say, boy?" He snarled.

"I have the money. She was coming here to pay me. " I said, somewhat shakily.

Jordan the barbarian farmer looked at me. I'm only about 5 feet 9 inches tall, and this body was all about agility not bulk. I probably looked like some kind of puny kid to this ... giant.

Sylvania was struggling to get to her feet. There was a harsh bruise on her cheek. And a bit of blood on the corner of her lip. I seethed. I wanted to rip this guy apart. But, really if she had cheated him like he had said she did, could I really blame him? But no, that did NOT justify him coming in like some Mad Max crazy person and hurting someone. Deep within me, that feeling arose again. That Guardian Spirit or something. I felt power welling within me. The orb on my chest was growing warm, and my senses seemed to be heightened.

Jordan laughed and pointed an accusing finger at me.

"You? You're nothing but some boy. Why would she need to pay ...." Then his eyes widened.

"No! Nothing like that" I replied quickly.

"Im .. a courier. She was paying me to deliver something." I lied. What was I saying? This was not going to go well.

Sylvania looked at me with pleading eyes. I needed to do something, fast.

"Look dude. The lady says she doesn't have your money. But I do. So ah. " I gulped. "Why don't you come and get it."

\-------

So, another mess Aegis has found himself in. We'll see how he gets out of this! Please star, comment, share, etc. It means a lot!


	21. Chapter 21

"What did you say to me?" Farmbarian said, his voice rising in anger?

"I said, come get it. If you want your money." Internally, I was screaming 'Interface! Boot up buddy!'

[System notice: I am here Aegis. I am still processing -]

'Stop processing and start listening! I need to know the fastest way out of here. With the emphasis on fast!'

[Query Response: Behind you is a door to the kitchen. 10 feet beyond that is the doorway where the kitchen receives food from alley behind the restaurant. Does this match your query parameters?]

'Yes! Thank you!' I responded emphatically.

I saw the terrified look in Sylvania's eyes -- questioning, pleading. The brute Jordan looked at his right and and balled it into a formidable looking fist. He then leered at me, looking down on my lack of size. If I didn't already know I could probably rip him in two, I would have been quite cowed. Instead, I lifted my chin and gave him a rude gesture. I guess the "bird" was a universal sign of "screw you" because he lost it completely and barreled toward me like a fleshy freight train.

I ducked his clumsy attempt to clothesline me, and something strange happened. Like a switch was clicked within my awareness, I suddenly could SEE things in a completely different way.

[System notice: Engaging battle mode phase 1]

Just when I thought I had this world figured out, and that this wasn't a game. I'm suddenly SEEing myself from a third person perspective. I saw the huge man Jordan passing me by in slow motion, I saw Sylvania slowly raising her hand in reaction to Jordon's attack on me. Everything was in this strange 3D perspective and slowed down like a cut scene in a game, or a bullet time slow mo in the movie The Matrix.

`Battle mode? What is this?` I asked as my body automatically cleared the guy and turned toward the door. It was like I was walking in thick jello.

[System Query: Battle Mode is a v2 enhancement. Your thought processess are temporarily sped up by 2x. Your perceptual inputs are using perspective hints to map a 3d field around you in order for you to make better tactical decisions. This mode will only last 30 seconds in real time and you will experience extreme fatigue afterward.]

Huh.

`Let's get out of here, 'face!`

My "bullet time" experience was quite interesting. I dashed toward the kitchen door, watching the slow dawning of recognition on Jordan's face. I carefully pulled the door open, yet winced as my fingers gouged grooves in the door with my enhanced strength. Had it been 30 seconds yet? I guess if I was really thinking twice as fast, I only had a minute to move it.

I dodged cooks and servers in a slow motion dance that left me bemused. I accidentally clipped a bowl as I leaped over a kitchen counter to get to the outside door faster, and I watched as it shattered into a million pieces in slow motion.   
  
What the heck WAS I?

Jordan was on my heels - shoving cooks and servers out of the way like a force of nature. His face twisted in anger and frustration.

I made the door and hit the slick, greasy alleyway road with a skid that had me crashing into a huge dumpster. I was NOT going to smell good after this.

I felt my power drain tremendously. It was like I was a balloon and someone just let the air out of me. Bluh.

'Interface! Can I change appearance again? '

[System Query: Your camouflage system is passive and is not effected by your power drain - unless you reach 20% power.]

Immediately, I though about the old woman I had seen earlier with her kids. Plain, plump and tired looking. Like I felt.

I stepped woozily out of the garbage pile and began walking nervously down the alleyway, as if I had just seen a crazy boy running past me.

Jordan burst out of the restaurant back door and looked about wildly.

"Hey! You there! Wench! "

I glanced back at him, affronted. I clutched an illusory purse.

"Y-yes?"

"Did you see a piece of garbage one-armed boy come out of here just a moment ago? Moving like a jackrabbit on fire?" He yelled.

"Wh-why yes. He was quite scary! I feared for my life! He went -" I smirked inwardly " - thataway." I pointed toward the main street that connected to this back alley.

He ran past me, shoving me aside. "Outta the way, bitch!"

As I hit the grimy street I laughed inwardly.

[System Message: You have sustained mild abrasions to your outer matrix due to contact with the alley street. Your power level is at 48%. ]

'Better than I expected, `face. Let's get back to the hotel room -'

I stopped abruptly. There, standing outside the restaurant back door, was Sylvania. She was talking to a hooded figure. I couldn't make out his face.

"It was him alright. The boy who nearly killed one of Theo's goons. But they must have been on Blue Ice or something, because this boy wasn't in a wheelchair, and he had two perfectly functioning legs. "

The hooded figure nodded. "Keep him under observation. See if you can gain his trust further. If we have a rogue wizard on our hands, the Mage Guild must know. And if needs be, we will put an end to him. There's enough going on already. We don't need another free agent who could spoil our plans."

Sylvania clutched her elbows nervously. "Do you think- do you think perhaps he might be working for another Guild? Like the Thieves Guild? Or maybe the Tinkers?"

"It doesn't matter. Regardless of his affiliation, he's obviously enhanced, and dangerous. Keep an eye on him. We need more information before we act. You know what you need to do."

The hooded man handed Sylvania a fairly large bag of what could only be ... money? She nodded nervously and made her way back into the restaurant. Sounds of yelling and people talking rose as the door open and she went inside.

As I walked by I tried to sneak a glance at the hooded man's face, but it was shrouded in darkness.

'`face. Can you tell me anything about that man standing by the door?'

[System Query: Negative. I detect no heat signatures or air disturbances. There is an 80% chance that individual is using magic shielding.]

The hooded man glanced about - I could feel his eyes on me for a moment and I shuddered.   
  
'Could he see through my ... illusion?' I asked

[System Query: Negative. Illusion magic is at master level and is not dependent upon your intellectual acumen]

I laughed inwardly. 'Foolproof huh?'

[System Response: Proof of the fool. Yes]

The man touched a green ring on his left hand and in a flash of light and a rather smelly "POP" he was gone.

A half an hour later, and three transformations, I was able to get past the swarm of police and make it back to my room. Archive was still on my bed, with it's eye closed. Sleeping?

Without a sound, I carefully placed the book on the table by the bed and I fell under the covers, exhausted.

Before I drifted completely into ... "sleep" I heard a distant voice. It was Bright.

~Good night sleepy head. Don't forget your Date tomorrow!~

I groaned and rolled over, covering my head with the pillow.

**Author's Note:**

> \------
> 
> Welcome to a new adventure. Boy is there a lot in store for Aegis! Please vote , comment, and share!


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